Belonged in Summer
by MsDiana
Summary: The team is given time off due to their recent heavy caseload. Luke wants to make the most of the time and finally convince Penelope to give him a shot. Penelope isn't as good at playing hard to get when she is out of her work environment. They get some help along the way but not from the team since they both agree to hide it from them for as long as possible.
1. Chapter 1

So I wrote this story way back in November but it is really long (47 chps) and I haven't bothered to get to editing it until now. This is the short sort of prologue. I will get chapters to you as swiftly as I can without neglecting all my other stories.

"Garcia, what are you doing with all this free time?" JJ queried.

"I'm going to give Sergio all the attention he's been wanting. He keeps telling me that he's lonely, and I keep having to work."

JJ smiled at her as Luke came up behind them with his backpack on his left shoulder. "Your cat tells you he's lonely?" His smile was a mile wide as he asked.

Penelope stared at the man as if he'd lost his entire mind. "Yes, of course. He tells me with his meows and also with his destroying things in my kitchen."

JJ laughed as she pulled her own bag over her shoulder, preparing to walk out with the other two.

"I guess Roxy is too independent. She's never told me she was lonely." He followed Penelope as she followed JJ.

"Maybe she just doesn't miss you." Penelope was smiling at herself as she said it.

Luke readjusted his bag strap as he continued to smile at her back. "I suppose that's a possibility, so I guess it's good you'll miss me enough for everyone."

They'd reached the elevator, and Penelope gave him an affronted look as she turned around. He pushed the button inside.

"Why would I miss you?"

"I'll miss you." His smile was still pleasant, but he glanced towards her to see her reaction.

JJ was behind them, leaning against the back of the elevator and taking in the exchange, but she let her eyes drop to the floor as she hid her smile.

"It's five weeks Garcia. It's a long time," he offered, after she had shut her mouth quickly with no witty response.

"Yeah, I guess it's a long time," she finally acquiesced.

He moved his head up and down with a crooked smile on his face. She put her hand on her hip, staring straight ahead at the doors and cursing what always seemed to be such a long elevator ride when it included him.

"So what are you doing then? With all your free time? Ya know, besides missing me." She used her peripheral vision to survey his demeanor.

"Uh, actually I'm volunteering for a couple weeks of it. My old army buddy runs a charity that helps build libraries in poor cities and other countries. They're almost done with one of their projects, but they lost a couple volunteers to illness, so I'm going to help. Hope they can still finish on time." He was glancing between her and the doors as he spoke.

Penelope cleared her throat. "I suppose that's nice of you."

"I try." He smiled at her, taking in her profile and her hand still stubbornly on her hip.

The elevator door opened, and he put his hand on it to let both of the women out, before he pushed his bag further up his shoulder again. JJ put her hand up in the air as she walked in front of them to her car. "Goodnight, you two. We'll all have to go out for drinks when you're back, Luke." She walked hastily to her car, leaving them to walk casually towards Penelope's car.

"She's right. It will be weird not seeing everyone, all the time, without any breaks. At all. Whatsoever," he joked about their, more than close, unit.

Penelope smiled and dropped her purse in front of her, from her shoulder, where it was starting to feel too heavy. "I have some plans but maybe in a few weeks. It'll give everyone time to miss me." At this point, they were barely strolling, taking slow deliberate steps as they approached her car.

"What are you going to be doing for five weeks?" he asked, confused.

She shot him an annoyed glare. "I do have a life sometimes." There was a little malice in her voice, but mostly annoyance.

He let the fingers that were around the strap on his shoulder flay as a sign of peace. "I know. I was just asking what could take up so much time. It just sounds like a big deal is all."

She softened again. "It's nothing really, just a quick vacation. I'm just not looking forward to it."

"Wait, you're not looking forward to a vacation? Why are you going then?" His genuine concern made her lips turn up.

"It's just an obligation type thing. Don't worry. It'll make me extremely grateful for all of you when we get back." Her eyes travelled to his face briefly as she thought wistfully of the family that she created here and of them all using their time off with glee.

"Ah ha! So you will miss me then." Whatever she would be doing, he could tell it didn't bring her joy to talk about, so he left it alone, despite wanting desperately to know what was going to be occupying her days.

They'd made it to her car. She was standing next to the driver's side door, her body facing him. "Don't push it, Alvez. I was just starting to like you." She shook her head, making the curls framing her face bounce.

"I wouldn't want to mess that up for sure. I've worked very hard for it." He took a couple steps towards her, leaving very little space in between them. "When you are back, would you like to go get a drink with me? Ya know, since I'll be missing you so much by then." He gave her a wink.

She pursed her lips trying to hold in a laugh. "Sure thing. I might be desperate enough for even your company by then." She couldn't hold back her grin any longer as she teased him.

He let his eyes glance over her head as he stuck his tongue to his teeth trying not to laugh at her. "I look forward to it." She pulled out her keys to unlock her door, but his voice stopped her again, "If you aren't too happy on your vacation, you can call me, ya know. I'm still willing to be the one you can turn to when you're crying."

She took a deep breath, attempting to let his words infiltrate her brain. "Thanks. Really, it's not so bad. I'm just being a big baby." He nodded and leaned in to kiss her cheek briefly. He pulled away and saw the flicker of surprise on her face. They'd had a few affectionate moments over the past couple years, but they weren't frequent and were usually parting hugs after a night out, where she would give them out like candy.

"Okay, just… I won't be too busy to be there to talk to, if you'd like." He tipped his head, about to take a step towards his car that was just a few away from hers.

She felt the need to say something. She wasn't going to see him for awhile after all, and he was being so nice. "He,y Luke. Uh, you can call me too, ya know, if you need someone to - to talk to. Not that you do, or will, but you can."

He turned around again to look at her as she so adorably stammered out the words. "I appreciate that." He continued to look at her as if he already knew she had more to say.

"And, I - maybe I'll check in with you even if I don't have bad things going wrong." She moved her purse to her other hand to occupy herself.

He gave her a shy smile. "Even better." He watched her fumble her keys again and then unlock her car, getting in without another word. Shaking his head, he turned towards his vehicle and threw his bag in the passenger's seat. He drove home thinking about the woman who made him smile even while stuck in traffic.

* * *

I just want everyone to know that this story will have smut. It starts off really sweet and it is sweet but know there will be smut and it could be considered sub/dom. Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

My b-day was last week so I tried to actually enjoy a day in my oh so hectic life. It didn't go terrible which is an improvement to the rest of my life right now so... hey. Although, I did fall yesterday so I'm guessing that's not going to help the recovery. Thanks for the patience with this and all my other stories.

* * *

Luke was on a plane to Mexico. His friend's charity was currently building a library in a small town outside of Guadalajara. He was waiting at the airport just outside of the automatic doors when he heard a familiar voice, and it brought him out of the daze of staring at his phone. "Hey Alvez, don't tell me you're into that snap gram thing." His friend came up and gave him a handshake that turned to a hug.

"Not a chance, Hoyt. Just checking my messages." He took the duffel off his shoulder, slinging it in the back seat of the small car, before climbing in the passenger's seat.

"Ah ha. So work or a girl?" Hoyt asked as he pulled away from the curb.

Luke laughed. "A little bit of both actually."

"Well then, Alvez finally has a girlfriend. Look at that." Hoyt's blue eyes sparkled as he beamed at Luke.

Luke put his hand up, clutching the handle above the window. "Not really. She's just my friend, but she's... I don't know. She's something else." Luke was staring out the window, taking in the scenes around him.

"Hmm hmm. Well, that's interesting. You could've brought her along. We were really behind on this project when I talked to you. Then you'd have an excuse." Hoyt raised his blonde eyebrows at Luke.

"I don't need an excuse. I've asked her to go places. _Were_ behind?"

"Back on track. A local construction crew helped us with shelving. Like a date, or a work thing?" Hoyt knew his friend, and he knew he wasn't the type to so easily ask a girl out.

"Okay, a lot of the times it's a work thing, but sometimes it's a friend thing," Luke admitted.

"So you should've invited her. You need the help."

"Who's going to help me? You? You've been married for twenty-two years, and you're only forty," Luke teased.

"Exactly, I got the girl, and I even got her to stay."

Luke laughed. "Yeah okay, but that means you're rusty and have no clue how to date."

"Yes because I'm the one who shows up to every wedding and birthday with my dog as my date," Hoyt deadpanned.

"You cut me short. Roxy can be a tough sell sometimes. She's darn hard-headed."

Hoyt shook his head, "Well, _Luke,_ did you call the girl? Let her know you landed safe?" Hoyt asked.

"No, _Brian,_ I was checking to see if she had texted me, or emailed, or left a voicemail." Luke pulled his phone out again, distractedly checking if maybe she'd done those things in the past five minutes.

"See, I already know you're a mess because even I know you're supposed to call them first."

"Maybe you haven't heard of a little thing called feminism. She might want to call me. You don't know. She's very modern," Luke said as he swiped at his phone again.

"Hey, you don't need to explain that to me. The best private I ever had was Riggins. She was smarter, faster, and a better shot. I'm not saying this because I don't think the little lady doesn't know how to dial a phone. I'm saying this because I know you like her, and I know _she_ probably doesn't know that because you're an idiot. If you call her to talk to her and check up on her, you will make it clear without risking too much." He turned onto a gravelly road, and the smooth car ride suddenly turned very bumpy. "And bonus, you might get to figure out if she likes you too."

"You think you are so smart, don't you?" Luke asked as the car pulled up next to a few trucks. A few people were milling about, carrying things to and from some dilapidated buildings.

"I'm not in the FBI or anything, but I do build libraries, and I occasionally even read the books inside of them." Hoyt had turned off the car and exited the vehicle. Luke was about to grab his duffel. "Leave it. Our nice little huts are set up near the hotel about a mile away. I'll take you there later. It's straight to work for you buddy."

Luke shut the door again shaking his head at his friend, walking around the car to follow him, but not before checking his phone one more time.

…..

Penelope disembarked the plane, dragging her feet. She tried to spend the whole flight napping, but her nerves, plus the snoring man next to her, didn't allow for that. So she tried to read and then knit and finally gave up to watch the mindless tv show that was displayed on the screen in front of her. When she arrived, she wasn't prepared for the heat to assault her skin. Sure it was the beginning of summer, but she had just come from Virginia, where the weather had just got the memo to start heating up. Now, here she was with the summer invading her space like it was an old friend.

She huffed, pulling her large bright purple suitcase behind her. She was in a decidedly bad mood. She had tried to cheer herself up, knowing that her bad mood was her own doing. She was the one that did this to herself. She was the one who decided to put away her bright and cheery demeanor every time this happened. It was the first time in three years, and she had run out of excuses, so here she was, once again waiting for the people she wasn't sure she wanted to see to pick her up and whisk her away.

She heard something clang in her bag, and she stopped mid-stride to turn and fix the fluffy luggage keychain that was hooked on the zipper. "Mi hermana! Dónde has estado? We've been looking for you." She was wrapped in the arms of a large man, quite tall, muscular, and ecstatic.

"I told you which airline I was on. All you have to do is pull up in front of the sign, Juan." She admonished him as she pushed away from him, readjusting the small bag she had over her shoulder.

"We don't pick you up from the curb. We come in to get you and your bag. What are you? Crazy?" As he spoke, he moved her hand off of the handle, grabbing it for himself and leading her back inside the terminal to take her to the garage where he'd parked. "Are you going to pout your whole vacation again? It's getting old." He was gazing down at the top of her head.

"I'm not pouting. I just got off of a long flight, and I have to be questioned and briefed before I even get clearance to go out of the country, so the trip starts with extra work, and then the rude people on the plane, and then you can't follow directions. It's not a good start, and it's not my fault." She sped up slightly in rebellion.

Juan rolled his eyes at her but followed her towards the elevators. "Git is going to wrap you in a bear hug when he sees you, so be prepared."

"You brought Guerillmo? Ugh, are you crazy? Is he even allowed in public?" She was standing with her arms folded as she waited for Juan to push the appropriate level button on the panel.

"You think I can stop Git? Eres el loca."

"Can you not, with the Spanish? You know I don't know what you're saying." She didn't turn to look at him even though she felt his eyes on her.

"You understood that, Loca." The elevator doors opened, and she stomped out of them aimlessly, since she didn't know where the car was parked or even what car she was looking for, when she was whipped up into a set of arms and pressed against what might as well have been a tree trunk.

"Mi favorita!" The man was placing kisses all over her face as she scrunched it up in annoyance, all but limp in his arms.

"Git, put me down!" She tried to protest the affection coming her way.

"My first hug in three years, and she wants me to put her down? Loca!" He was speaking to Juan over her head.

Despite his words, he let her go a few moments later. "Look what you made me do. I dropped my purse. There's things in there, ya know! Breakable things!" She bent down to pick it up. It was zipped up, nothing had fallen out, and it only housed tissues, a book, and some lip gloss. She packed everything else in her luggage, so she wouldn't have to carry it.

"Oh no, here we go, Miss Grumpy Pants." Git rolled his eyes while Juan hit the button to a car parked just a few spaces away, walking to it and putting the luggage in the back.

"She already scolded me for coming in to get her and not picking her up at the curb, and then she told me I shouldn't have brought you." Juan informed the man who had his arm around Penelope's hunched shoulder.

"It's not a party without me." Git put his hand across his chest as if he'd been scarred.

"It's _not_ a party. It's the airport," Penelope said dryly.

"Okay, okay, fine!" Git put his hands up, indicating he was giving up, a slight pout on his face. She almost giggled at how funny he was, a man almost six and a half feet tall, dark striking features ,and basically a wall of muscle. "You're in charge. You're always in charge." He opened the passenger's side door for her, and then closed it to get in directly behind her.

She looked over at Juan. "Have you grown?" she questioned him.

"I don't think so. I think I stopped growing ten years ago at least, but maybe I look taller than him since he's just one large muscle now." He hooked his thumb over his shoulder indicating Git.

"Hey, baby brother, remember that because I can take you out with just my pinky now." Git put up a hand as if he was going to karate chop something.

Penelope shook her head, trying to hold back a laugh. "You look pretty muscly yourself there, Juan."

"Yeah, I go with Git to the gym but only a few times a week. Git lives there now, literally, since he owns his own gym. He made an apartment over it, so he doesn't have to listen to Mom's rules about bringing overnight guests home." Juan was pulling out of the parking garage as he spoke.

"At least one of you has moved out." Penelope pushed her glasses up her nose as she observed all the sights along the way. "So much has been built, eh?"

"A lot of people have retired here, so there's a lot of businesses that have decided to build, but you go outside the city, and it's as rural as ever. And technically, Santi moved out too," Juan said.

"I still like the quiet, but I might make you take me shopping," she informed them as she made mental notes of the various stores that made it seem so familiar.

"Whatever you say, Chica." Git said from the back seat.

Penelope flinched. "Can you not call me that?" She kept her eyes trained on the various buildings, but her voice was harsh, causing both men to look at her curiously.

"Why the hell not?" Git's creased eyebrow was in the rearview mirror where he could see Juan's perplexed face.

Penelope put her elbow on the armrest and then swiped her fingers across her forehead. "I just, I just decided I don't like it, okay? So just use one of the other million nicknames you have for me." She shrugged it off.

Juan turned briefly to look at Git. Both of them were even more confused than when they'd asked. "Uh okay, _Mariposa._ We'll use all the other names."

"How much longer?" Penelope asked.

"We'll be at La Casa de García in twenty minutes." She sighed and put her head against the window, ignoring the conversation the rest of the way.

* * *

I wrote this story back in October. It was before they actually (for the 1st time in thirteen years) gave us a glimpse at Garcia's family. So I wrote this with the contradictory stories, from over the years, in mind and I think it addresses all of it except what they actually ended up going with. _Of course_. Anyway, I hope you end up enjoying it.

Thanks BookDragon 2013 for reading this for me.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone, life is still a mess. Sorry I'm behind on all updates. I should update Signals next. And someome asked me if they were bothering me by contacting me, you are not. Sometimes getting to emails or tweets is easier than getting a whole update out. Sometimes I'm incapable of even going to the grocery store. It's a mixed bag. But all of your contact is appreciated. Sorry if I haven't responded to your reviews, I love them all the same.

"And this is your humble abode for the next couple of weeks." Hoyt walked into the small room with Luke trailing behind him. "I'm just a few huts down that way. We're a quick jaunt over to the worksite, and the city limit is only about five miles the other direction." Hoyt handed him a key on a long wooden chain.

"So strange, all that commercialism not even ten miles from a school with no library." Luke set his bag on the full sized bed.

"Eh, not really. That's what happens a lot of the time. Places like this rely on tourism and American expats. There are a lot of countries that people go to for lavish vacations, but, if those people ever left the five star hotel and wandered into the real neighborhoods, they wouldn't think they were in paradise anymore."

"That's very true. Still it seems some of the tax revenue would go to the schools so they could attract young families too and not just retirees," Luke mentioned as he peered out the window of his room.

"Yeah, maybe, but those American businesses need incentives to come down in the first place. A lot of them get tax breaks at first, so that the place can feel more comfortable for people to move to. Eventually it helps, but all the kids in that school need help now." Hoyt had his hand on the doorknob. "Here's the key to the car. I usually drive the truck in with Cindy and a couple of the guys. You can go into town all you want or anywhere else. They won't mess with you because, well, you could be Mexican, and you speak Spanish," Hoyt laughed.

"Yes, thank you for your slight racism." Luke chuckled as he unzipped his duffel, grabbing a couple things from it. "I thought, when you said hut, I would be in something like... not this." He gestured at the dorm-like accommodations.

"We've been in a lot worse for a lot longer." Hoyt and Luke exchanged knowing glances. "Some of the spring breakers actually rent these because they're cheap and close to the lake and the town, so it's minimal, but it has the creature comforts."

"Like a bathroom, running water, a decent bed, and... are those tiki torches?" Luke pointed his chin to the porch through the open doorway Hoyt was standing in.

"Yeah, it's sort of like a Motel 6, but they put up weird decorations to make the college kids giggle. There are disco balls in the main building where they serve breakfast. I'm not sure what the reason is for it." Hoyt put his lip out in contemplation.

Luke chuckled. "I'll use my super special FBI skills to figure it out after my shower." He held up the clothes in his hand.

"Okay, dinner is open for the next two hours. Just head up there when you're ready. Most of us hang out in the small rec room they have, since going out to party at the tourist clubs every night would make us all too tired to build a library from sticks the next morning." Hoyt backed out of the door as he shut it. Luke shook his head before he headed to the small bathroom to get the travel and the hard work off of him.

He turned on the water, putting his hand under it to check the temperature before getting in. He hadn't showered since before his long flight and then went straight to building for hours. He didn't mind it though. He was always used to being busy. Five weeks off from work just because they'd had so many harsh cases lately was mind boggling. He knew that happened sometimes. When Steven died, he understood why they needed the time off, but it seemed like they were getting treated as if they were all fragile now. Maybe if he had been in the BAU longer, he would feel more worn out too. He knew all of the others had personal struggles because of it, but so far, the BAU had treated him the best of all of his gigs.

His mind slipped to his team, and then inevitably to Penelope. He knew he should just call and check on her, but he didn't want to push it. He wanted to spend time with her alone, and sometimes he achieved that, but sometimes he didn't want her to think that he was just trying to win her over because she hadn't welcomed him with open arms. He liked her, and he wanted to know her, but he wanted her to want to know him as well. He didn't want it to be one-sided, and, if she truly had no interest, then he was going to live with that, and eventually move on from his crush or whatever he could call it. She'd finally let him in a little bit more, but she was never going to be able to keep him out anyway. She was too nice, and the team was too close for that to happen. She might still give him a hard time, but she couldn't keep him at arm's length all the time. His profiling skills had improved, and he could tell that she would be happy in his presence, especially when her guard was down.

Whenever the team was bonding at the bar or at someone's house, they would end up talking to each other and laughing and joking. A few times she even blatantly flirted. They had all been at her house, she was mixing drinks in her kitchen, and he was helping to pour whatever fruity concoction she had come up with into glasses for everyone. When some of the slushy mess spilled onto her hands and was trickling down her fingers, she had turned to him, put her hand up to his mouth, and wiped the back of it across his lips, telling him not to waste it, as she licked her other hand in a race against gravity. He remembered her fingers coasting over his mouth with vivid detail, the way he could taste the mix of strawberry with the taste of her skin. She almost tasted like vanilla, he concluded. Her eyes were slightly dazed from already having too much of the liquid, but she gave him a beaming smile as he let his tongue trail up her fingers as he caught the few splashes of liquid with his mouth.

He didn't even realize he had been stroking himself until his moan jerked him back to reality. As he let the water run over his head, he sighed. He had it bad for her, and he was still so utterly confused about what he should do about it. They worked closely together and dating within the same unit had to be complicated, but at the moment there was very little he could see that would make him not want to dive in head first.

He got out of the shower, towelling off and quickly getting dressed. He grabbed his wallet, putting it in his pocket before picking up his phone. He dragged his fingers across the screen as he waited for a communication that he knew wouldn't be there. He stilled himself before going into his messages and finding her name. He scrolled through a few of their old texts laughing at some of her jokes and wishing he could just go pick her up right then and spend the whole night letting her make him laugh. He started typing out a message.

 **Hey, just checking on you. How's your terrible, awful, no good vacation?**

He slipped his phone into his pocket, vowing not to look at it until he at least ate something. He shut off the light, locked the door behind him, and set off for the dinner hall.

….

"Marcos, go get your sister. We're starting dinner in five minutes."

"Penelope! Dinner!" Marcos shouted, without ever taking his eyes off of the screen where there were soccer players running around.

"Marcos! That's not what I meant," the woman with an apron on and a dish towel in her hand scolded him.

"Geez! Could you be more annoying?" Penelope's voice came into the room from behind him.

"See, it worked though, Mama," Marcos chimed, still without taking his eyes away from the television.

"Ay que linda." The woman came up to Penelope kissing her cheek. "Ignore your brother." She waved her dish towel in his direction. "Your father and other brothers will be back any second. They wanted to get all the wood for the cabinets before the sale ended today." She waved her dish towel one more time before setting it on the counter to pick up a bowl and walking it to the table.

Penelope followed her, grabbing some other dishes and setting them out. "What are they building again?" she questioned.

"Marcos, get the silverware." Marcos didn't move. "Marcos, mijo, ahora." Hands on hips, the smaller woman stared at her son as he walked past her sheepishly before turning her attention back to Penelope. "They are putting in those cabinets in the workshop outside so your father will have more room to put all his tools."

Penelope nodded. "Yeah, the workshop came out nice. It was just weeds last time I was here," Penelope said as she set down a basket of bread.

"Well, if you ever came to see us, it wouldn't be such a surprise," Marcos said as he set knives and forks around the table. The two women froze in place, glaring at him before he glanced up to them. His mother shot daggers at him with her eyes. "Sorry sis, I just - it's true." He looked at Penelope who was almost his height. He was the shortest of all the brothers at a mere, even six feet. He averted his eyes when he saw the pain in her face and walked past them to get more spoons. As he passed his mother, he got a quick tug on his hair; he'd let his curls grow a little.

"Mija, he just wants to see you, just like the rest of us. I know it's harder now that we're down here, but, even when we were still in California, we didn't see you much." She watched Penelope's blank expression as she spoke. She came up to her, wrapping her in a hug and stroking her hair. "Don't worry about us. We love you near or far." Penelope leaned into her slightly as the woman shushed her, despite the fact that she had been completely silent.

"Are we missing family bonding?" Git asked as he walked into the house, taking off his sneakers at the door. Juan followed.

"I love family bonding! Don't leave me out!" The voice came barrelling through the door. Sneakers flying, he rammed into Penelope, holding her close before grabbing his mother with one arm and bringing the shorter women close to his chest.

"Ay, Santi, please! We have to eat sometime before the food is cold," the woman told her son as she playfully pushed him away.

"But Ma, we're bonding." He let his mother go but held onto Penelope, not letting her wiggle away, even though she was trying her hardest to do so.

"Ay, why is the door open? The door is always open around here - Winter, Spring, Summer. I taught all of you to use the toilet, and still the door remains a mystery. Ay Dios!"

"Uh, sorry, Pa," Santi spoke as he grabbed a plate, piling food onto it.

"Sorry, sorry! Sorry does not pay the bills. You let the cold air out; you let the cold air in. You let the hot air out; you let the hot air in. Where does it end?" He was sitting down to take off his shoes as he spoke.

"Arturo, please, just sit down. No wash your hands first. Then sit down."

"Ay Flora, you know how much these boys have cost us in air conditioning over the years? We could be retired by now." He spoke as he walked past Juan who was coming from the bathroom drying his hands on his jeans.

Penelope couldn't help but laugh at the six squabbling people in front of her as she picked up a plate and put some food onto it, before sitting down at the table. Everyone had dug into their food except Flora who sat down last. "I assume everyone said their prayers silently?" She eyed the whole table as she got mumbles of yes from full mouths.

"So, my favorite daughter, how is the FBI?" Flora questioned.

"Uh it's fine. Just a lot of cases lately, so I got this imposed vacation."

"Is that code for getting fired?" Git asked as he took a sip of his drink.

"Obviously not dummy. It's code for getting suspended," Marcos said to him before laughing.

Penelope huffed. "No, the whole team is on vacation because there are too many serial killers to catch, and our brains have to heal properly."

"Okay, mija, we believe you. So any other news? Are you still dating that, uh…. what was his name?" Flora asked as she tapped her fork trying to recall the information.

"No, I'm not. He was sort of annoying after a while," Penelope said as she stuffed the potatoes and veggies in her mouth.

"Are you ever going to bring one of your boyfriends for us to meet? I don't feel right not knowing any of these boys," Arturo said.

"If anyone is ever serious, I will let you know, okay? But I have to really be confident that they won't hightail it out of here when they meet these bozos." She nodded towards the table.

"Your brothers will behave. You have my word," Flora said. "I want to meet the people in your life."

"Well, like I said, I don't have a boyfriend, so no wrangling necessary." Penelope picked up her water taking a few sips.

"What about your friends? When we come to the states, we can meet them finally? They are the same, no?" Flora asked.

"Oh well, yeah. A few come and go, but we still see each other, get together for birthdays and holidays and all the family stuff." Penelope took another bite. Everyone at the table froze, most of them with forks halfway to their mouths. Penelope glanced up and swallowed before speaking. "Not that, not that. They don't all have regular families too. They - It's just that we are also a family, a work family. That's also a family-family and, uh, we are so close because we're always in life threatening danger and all, so we are bonded." She let her eyes fall to her plate, as she held her breath.

Arturo recovered first. "Penelope, we know you have other things going on. It's okay. We know you love us. You're still our family too." He nodded at the others, indicating they should get back to their food. Penelope stayed quiet the rest of the conversation, kicking herself since it was only the first day.

….


	4. Chapter 4

Some of you have told me you haven't been getting all my updates. I don't know. All I know is that technology malfunctions around me! But I have updated, Manor, Signals, and When, in the past week, so hope that helps.

Thanks for all your support.

When Penelope got back to her room, she threw herself on the bed, sighing in relief at being alone for a few moments. She reached for her phone that she'd left to charge on the nightstand. Seeing a text from Luke, she opened it quickly. Her heart speeding up, and she felt giddy as she gave her phone a big grin as if it was a long lost friend. She read the text asking about her vacation. It made her face even wider. She quickly let her fingers reply.

 **It's okay. I'm kind of dumb and I shouldn't be so pouty. Just in a weird situation right now. How is your thing going?**

She waited for a few minutes, staring at her phone and not seeing a response. She checked it again and again. Then finally she decided to change into pajamas before she re-joined the family in the living room, where they were all yelling at the soccer game on the screen in front of them. She put her phone in the pocket of her pajama pants and left it on vibrate so she would feel it if he texted. She brought her feet up on the couch, tucking them underneath her as she tried to understand what was happening on the screen. She squinted at it, but she couldn't focus. Sports in general were terrible, but soccer had an extra dollop of boring.

"Here, take some. I'm making a blanket. You can do a scarf or something." Flora handed her a basket with knitting needles and yarn.

Penelope happily grabbed the basket, choosing some yarn and starting on her scarf. She felt her phone vibrate against her leg, and she dropped her new project in her lap like it had betrayed her and lifted her hips up to get at her pocket, quickly swiping at it.

 **My thing is going fine. I lugged heavy stuff back and forth so I spent most of my day sweaty. Now I'm eating some chow with the group before I head off to bed. I sound boring. So why are you pouty?**

Her face broke out into a huge smile as she read the text. She bit her lip as she responded.

 **Sweaty eh? Don't let the ladies throw the dollar bills at you. They might get confused. I'm not so pouty now. I'm just tired, I think. My flight was kind of long.**

She set her phone in her lap. The screen timed out, and she picked up her needles again, partially paying attention as she kept one eye on the screen. She started to let her hands work, but, when she saw the screen light up again, she dropped her yarn like a bad habit and brought the phone to her face with both hands.

 **I have yet to receive any payment for sweating but I'll keep you in the know. How long was your flight? I know you don't really want to talk about it but if you do… You said it was an obligation. I find it hard to picture Penelope Garcia doing anything she doesn't want to.**

 **Maybe the women aren't aware of your performance times. You should post them somewhere. I had a layover and that's always no fun, so the whole journey was seven hours. And… you're right, it's rare that I do something that I didn't mean to do.**

She sent off the text, still holding the phone up as she awaited a response. She was so entranced by her conversation, that she didn't notice the six people staring at her, until she felt the phone being snatched out of her hands. "Who are you talking to that makes you smile like that?" Git had the phone in his hands, and he was already behind the couch, holding it in front of his face trying to read it.

"Git, no. Give it back." Penelope stood up on the couch, trying to get to him as she attempted to snatch it from his hands. She put her hands over his face, and her arms were moving frantically as she tried to get it back from him.

"Who is _My Newbie_?" He gave the nickname a mocking tone as he batted her hands away.

"Agggg!" She grabbed onto him and climbed onto his back. "God, why are you so huge?" she groaned as she tried to reach up to his hand.

Git barely registered that she was on his back as he stretched his arm straight in front of him, holding the phone away from her grasp.

Marcos jumped up from his spot on the floor, grabbing the phone so Git could hold Penelope's legs around him so she couldn't jump off of his back.

"Oooooh, _I don't expect to get paid for my physical prowess. What does it take to get the infamous Garcia to do something that she's not into_. This guy sounds like trouble." Marcos read off the text despite Penelope's growing threats about maiming him. She started jerking her body as she saw him start to type back.

"No, no, no! Don't you dare! I work with him! What if I get fired because you say something stupid?" She was trying to shake herself off of Git's back.

"You were already talking to him about being sweaty. I don't think it would be my fault," Marcos said.

"Oh my God! Can I get any help here?" she appealed to the room.

Both Juan and Santi gave a quick 'nope' as they continued to watch the television. "I would help, but I want to know why this man is talking to you about sweat," Arturo said as he glanced at the three people struggling behind the couch.

"What did you text him? Did he respond?" Penelope was asking in a high pitched voice.

"I just asked him what his intentions were," Marcos said with a shrug.

"No, no! He thinks that's me! No. Oh my God! Oh my God!" She was screaming in Git's ear, which made him put his hands up to cover them, releasing her legs and giving her the opportunity to jump down. Before she could get all the way around him to Marcos, he grabbed her by the waist and then gently tackled her to the ground. She was still struggling to get free when she saw Marcos' face light up as he read the text. "Oh my God! Oh my God, what did he say? Marcos!" She was screaming at the top of her lungs.

Marcos was chuckling as he read the text. "Uh, Garcia, are you okay? I mean I don't mind you asking but it's just very different." Marcos was holding his stomach as he laughed.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Penelope stopped fighting and just laid her forehead on the floor in front of her. "What are you typing back? Oh my God! He's going to think I'm a freak!"

"I just wrote back that I thought it was a good question, and that you are perfectly fine," Marcos said.

A few moments later, the phone started vibrating continuously as a phone call came through. "Oh my God! Is that him? Is that him?" She started squirming again, trying to fight Git off, but it was like trying to push a hundred year old tree over a cliff.

"Hello," Marcos answered the phone in a cheery voice.

"Uh, hi," Luke said, concern and confusion in his voice. "Is Garcia there? Is she okay?"

"This is Garcia, and I'm fine," Marcos answered.

"Oh my God! Luke, don't listen to him," Penelope screamed.

"Is that Penelope? Is she okay? Where is she?" Luke's voice took on authority as he was trying to sort out what was happening.

"Don't worry. She's being held down by a two hundred and twenty pound man. She's perfectly fine. So listen, what are your intentions with my sister? I'd like to know why I see her smile at her phone like it just gave her a million dollars whenever you text her," Marcos said nonchalantly as he leaned against the back of the couch.

The others were all interested now. Santi had turned the tv on mute, and everyone was watching Marcos, except for Flora who was shaking her head while continuing to let her fingers work on her project. Juan motioned for Marcos to put it on speaker.

Luke's voice rang through the phone, "Uh, I'm sorry. Did you say your sister?" Luke quizzed. "Look, I'm perfectly willing to, uh, answer that question, but can I get some assurance that Garcia is really okay because as an FBI agent I think the worst?" He could tell this was not dangerous. Even though he was confused by the comments, he also could see this was a trick someone was playing on her.

"Sure thing. One second, Romeo." Marcos bent over to put the phone near Penelope's face. "Tell the man you're okay."

"You telling me to tell him I'm okay doesn't help the situation, Marcos." She tried to give him an indignant glare above her glasses, but she could only lift her head so high when Git was still holding her down. "I'm fine, Luke. I'm just going to go to jail tonight for murder, but you can get me out like you did with Reid, right?" she spoke into the phone.

Luke tried to contain his chuckle, but he knew that the smile in his voice was going to come through anyway, "Uh, yeah, but Reid wasn't guilty. You're telling me that you will be. Also Reid was in jail in Mexico. It should be much easier to get you out."

"Sorry to spoil your plans, Romeo, but we _are_ in Mexico, so… she's fucked," Marcos said.

"Language!" Flora yelled at him.

" _That's_ what he gets in trouble for?" Penelope asked incredulously.

Luke was laughing, listening to the antics on the other end of the phone. "You're in Mexico? You didn't tell me you were in Mexico. I'm down here volunteering," he said with a wonder in his voice.

"What? You didn't tell me that," Penelope screeched in annoyance.

"Uh, yeah I did, when we were in the elevator." He was giving her the attitude that always got under her skin.

"No, you said that you were volunteering with your buddy who volunteers in poor cities and countries. You did not specify if you were headed to Detroit or South Africa. I'm supposed to assume you're going to Mexico?" She gave him attitude right back.

There was a smile in his voice. Knowing that he was still on speaker, that these people must be the ones that took her in after her parents died, and that they were listening, he said, "You're the wonder woman hacker, so, yeah, I figured you knew before I even told you."

"Well… I was preoccupied," she said in a low voice.

Marcos had been keeping the phone down near the floor, but he stood up holding the phone in front of him. "Okay, enough of the lover's quarrel. You haven't answered my question, Romeo."

Penelope started squirming again. "No, you don't have to answer to these thugs!" She was trying to fight Git off with all of her might.

"He said he was perfectly happy to answer my question. Don't we all want to know?" Marcos quizzed the others.

"Hell yeah! Tell me what you want with my sister." Santi stood up to grab a drink and said it into the speaker as he walked by, stepping over Penelope and Git.

"Yeah, tell us," Juan said as his eyes were still glued to the game.

"I wouldn't mind knowing." Arturo stuck his bottom lip out shrugging his shoulders.

"That's five yes's. Ma?" Git questioned.

"Oh my God, stop!" Penelope screamed in the highest octave her voice would go. "Let me go! Mom!" she screamed.

All the people in the room looked at each other quickly, giving surprised faces before Flora raised her voice to all of them. "Guermillo, get off of your sister, ahora. Marcos, give her her phone! Leave that man alone!" Flora was trying to be stern, but the smile on her face from Penelope's plea wouldn't let up.

Git moved immediately and helped her to her feet, Marcos held out the phone to her, but, before she got it, he spoke into the mic, "This isn't over. I still want to know. Mom won't always be there to protect you, _My_ _Newbie_."

Penelope hit the back of his head with the palm of her hand before snatching the phone and stomping out of the room. She yelled back to them, "You're all going to die in your sleep, so you better not have been lying to Mom about praying because some of you might be visiting hell tonight." She slammed the door.

She could hear Luke chuckling. The phone was still on speaker. She took a deep breath.

"Uh, Chica, what was all that?" He couldn't stop the laugh in his voice.

Penelope was trying to calm herself, but, as soon as she quieted her anger, her embarrassment creeped up. "That was idiots. Those were idiots," she mumbled.

"So I'm guessing that was the family that you said took you in? I didn't know you saw them. You haven't mentioned them since I first joined the team," he said curiously.

Penelope sighed and threw herself on the bed, "Yeah, I haven't seen them in three years. It's… complicated."

"I see. Well, do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly, throwing himself onto his bed much the same way she just had.

"Uh, not right now. Maybe later," she mumbled.

"Okay, no problem." He tried to shake off the thought that she didn't trust him enough to tell him, but he couldn't until he came to a realization. "Wait, the team doesn't know either, do they?"

Penelope shut her eyes. "Uh no, I don't know what to say, so I say nothing."

He nodded. "Okay, that's fine. So they live in Mexico?" he asked curiously, thinking that geography was a good place to start.

"They do now. They used to live in California, obviously, back then. They moved back here. My Da- Arturo had an uncle that left him this house and his woodworking business. It made more sense for them to come back," Penelope informed.

"Your brothers don't have any accents at all, and your, uh, parents, barely have any either." He didn't know all their names, so he couldn't refer to them as anything else, even though he'd heard her correct herself.

"They grew up in California. Marcos and Juan were born there. Guermillo and Santi were toddlers when they moved up there," she informed him.

"Oh I understand. Was the transition hard for them to move down here?" He thought they were in safe territory now. Her voice had levelled as she spouted off the info.

"Not too bad. They go back and forth a lot, and they always did, but they live in Chapala. It's basically an American city. If you walk outside you'd think, _hey, there's that Starbucks I go to every morning."_ She was twirling the strings of the blanket on her bed.

Luke sat up straight. "Did you say 'Chapala?'" He squinted as he asked.

"Yeah, why?" Her brow creased as she asked. "You've heard of it?"

Luke was smiling widely, closing his eyes in realization. "Uh, yeah, Chica. I've heard of it."

Her stomach fluttered at the nickname he'd given her long ago. "Oh, that's nice." She was suddenly shy, her mind picturing what she remembered his lips felt like under her fingers for some strange reason.

He chuckled. "Yeah, it is. So what are your plans? Are you spending all of your time with them?"

"I guess so. There's no real plans. Just staying here, eating, watching soccer… On Fridays they all go to the Fiesta De La Raza. It's this thing where they have dancers and mariachi music and food, sort of like a street fair, but _every_ Friday in the summer. We have this place we go, Isabella's. We get there at four in the afternoon to set up shop for the ten o'clock show. It's really dumb."

"Interesting," he said contemplatively.

"I guess so. Da- Arturo has part of his business in the workshop here, so he builds things there with Marcos, Santi, and Juan. Then when they have a project, they obviously work on site. Git owns a gym in the town called Git Up. I wish I was joking, so he's there a lot. Mo- Flora mostly just spends all her time cleaning up after all of them."

"They all sound very nice, if only slightly violent." He laughed at her stressed out sigh.

"Yeah, don't mind them. They are all such assholes. They think they're hilarious; they aren't. They're mildly amusing at their best." She fluffed the pillow under head.

"Well, if I ever meet them, I will keep that in mind. So what are your plans for tomorrow?" he questioned.

"I'm exhausted, so I'm probably going to sleep until noon. Then I think Flora said she wanted me to go with her to the mall to get her some new shoes, but that's code for she wants to buy me things because all she ever had was boys so she enjoys that she can put me in dresses, even though I'm in my thirties and not my threes."

Luke laughed. "I hope you have fun. I don't want to keep you up, but can I call you tomorrow at the same time? I'll be done with dinner and will be sitting in my room with nothing to do. Sort of like I am now."

"Umm, yeah, sure. That's fine. Penelope is good for keeping the boredom away." She tried to make her voice sound funny.

"That's definitely not what I meant. I only meant that I'll have time, and I want to know how your shopping trip went," Luke assured her.

"Yeah, I know. I was just - I was just making a bad joke because this whole night has been weird and awkward."

He laughed again. "Okay, well, goodnight, Garcia. I'll see you soon."

"Okay, goodnight." She didn't register his last comment as she hung up, a smile still on her lips from getting to speak to him. She spent a few minutes replaying the conversation in her head, smiling at his laugh that she loved to hear. She sighed wistfully. She was tired, but she needed to go hurt a couple of jerks before she actually got sleep, and there was nothing to tire her out like throwing a few punches.

* * *

Thank you to everyone following, favoriting, or reviewing any of my stories, it is genuinely appreciated!

Thanks to BookDragon2013 for reading this for me.


	5. Chapter 5

I updated Cash yesterday and I will update Fog either tonight or tomorrow. I know some of you told me you don't get all of my notifications. I have no idea why.

Thanks to everyone checking on me. Yes, things are still dicey but I'm alright. Thanks for the support.

* * *

Luke drove up to the site with a huge smile on his face. "What is up with you?" Hoyt asked as soon as he saw his friend gleefully pick up a tool belt.

"I talked to Penelope last night. Guess where she is?"

Hoyt wanted to laugh at his friend's childlike behavior, but he stopped himself. "I give up. Where is she?"

"Hmm, she's about ten, fifteen miles from here." Luke walked towards the shelving unit he had started the day before.

"Wow, you asked her to come down, and she's here already. That's bold." Hoyt watched him as he picked up some nails.

"No. Actually she's down here visiting her family. I didn't even know about it. I swear if I believed in all that fate and stars nonsense, I'd be buying a lottery ticket right now." Luke started in on the shelf.

"I'm not entirely sure you shouldn't. Wow, so, you're going to go see her then, right?"

"I have to, now that I know I don't have to wait weeks to see her, I can barely contain myself, but, also, I have to meet this family of hers. I'm going to meet up with her on Friday. She said her family goes to this street fair, so I'm going to surprise her."

"Wait, you didn't make plans with her? You're going to surprise her?" Hoyt asked, extremely amused.

Luke stopped what he was doing and fully faced Hoyt. "Yeah, why? Is that a bad idea?" He was suddenly very terrified he was doing the wrong thing.

Hoyt's surprise was still written on his face. "Uh, no man. Not at all. Just, that's really nice and almost romantic, and I want to know what you've done with Alvez."

Luke started laughing, but he resumed his task. "I've never wanted time to move quicker, so I'm going to be honest, man. I don't know, but I'm not mad about it."

Hoyt clapped him on the back before shaking his head and walking away to his own task.

….

"You don't like that one either?" Flora almost whined as she sat in a chair facing the dressing room.

"It's too colorful." Penelope's face scrunched as she took in the dress hanging on her body.

Flora's face turned into apprehension. "Too colorful? For you? That's a lie. What's really wrong with it?"

She was watching Flora in the mirror, as she continued to face away from her. "Okay, the problem is, this is a very traditional Mexican dress, and I am very much a blonde white girl. It doesn't really make sense."

Flora stood up, waving her hand, dismissing Penelope's assessment. "Do you like it?"

Penelope glanced down at the black dress that had wide ribbons threaded through it in all different colors. It cinched at the waist and had a full skirt at the bottom hitting just above her knees. The neck wasn't too low, but it was wide showing off her neck and shoulders. "Yes, it's very pretty."

"And you're very pretty too. The dress is yours, and I want to hear nothing else about it. Now let's go get you some dancing shoes. Those heels are too much for dancing." She pointed at her higher-than-high heels.

"I'm not dancing, so it won't matter," Penelope said resolutely.

"But what if you change your mind?"

"I won't."

"How about if you just get some anyway, just to have new shoes?"

Penelope thought for a moment. "I suppose that's acceptable." She gave a smile to Flora as she tipped her head.

Flora smiled back. "Okay, shoes, then lunch." She shooed her away with her hand, Penelope shutting the door to the dressing room behind her.

….

Carrying a bag with a pair of shoes she didn't need but did love, they sat down at a cafe near the shopping center. "This feels like the valley." Penelope announced as she observed the decor and the busy people walking by with multiple bags weighing them down.

"It does. Part of moving back was supposed to be so we felt like home again, but it's such an American city, most everyone speaks English and half the population is American in the summer. But it's a good compromise, business is good with all the Americans wanting to build custom houses and they all want personal training. We're all bilingual, but the boys don't have accents. It makes people more comfortable."

They ordered their drinks. Flora ordered for both of them in Spanish. Penelope had no idea what happened because she was too busy staring out into the shopping center at the lights and balloons in front of a cell phone store. "Do you miss California?"

"Not really. I think sometimes the boys do, but they go back and see their friends often. I don't think it's so bad."

"I always think about moving back there. I hate the D.C. weather, but I love my job and my fam- friends, so I can't imagine actually going through with it."

Flora nodded. She knew exactly how much Penelope loved her job. She never came back to rely on them emotionally again after she'd started. The food came, and she watched Penelope dive right in, not even asking what she'd ordered or making sure it was vegetarian. Even after all this time, she still treated them like they were close. "Who is this Luke?" The naughty gleam in her eyes made Penelope turn red.

"He's - he's - I - we work together." She took a sip of her drink, keeping her eyes trained on the woman in front of her, who wasn't buying her explanation. "Okay, okay. He's a beautiful man that's been on the team for a couple years, and he's sort of a friend, too, and, I don't know. We hang out sometimes."

"Ah, but he calls you to check on you?" Flora bit the straw in her drink to keep from giggling.

"Well no, not really. I guess he has a couple times when we've all gone out or something, and it's the weekend. He's brought me tea and bagels to make my hangover go away."

"That sounds like a very good friend indeed. And you like him?"

"I don't know. Maybe, I guess. But nothing's happened, and I don't know if it should. If he liked me, wouldn't he have told me by now?"

"You haven't told him," Flora countered.

"I guess so, I just - he's so nice, and kind, and he's very pretty…"

"Sounds like you have a lot in common."

Penelope laughed. "We have a few things in common, but we're very different. He likes the mountains."

"That's not a bad thing."

"No, it's not. I just wish he was interested, but we're friends, and that's okay," Penelope said sadly.

"You think it's a bad thing so much time has passed?"

"It's probably not a good sign. He can't like me much if he didn't make a move."

"Whatever happened to getting to know each other? It's a good thing to be friends, no?"

"Yeah, I guess. He's just so pretty." Penelope's eyes glazed over just thinking about him.

Flora laughed. "I believe you. You said he was in Mexico volunteering? Why don't you invite him to come stay with us when he's done? We'd love to meet someone you work with anyway."

"He could be anywhere. Do you know how big Mexico is? That's like saying just because you're in New York, you should stop by the Grand Canyon."

"Okay, okay, but, if you all have true time off already, maybe he'd like to extend his vacation. Wait a few days, and then ask him. Maybe when he starts complaining of back aches and aching feet, your brother's spare bed won't seem so bad." Flora shrugged, trying to play it off. She wanted badly to meet this man that made Penelope blush just by saying his name, but she also wanted to catch a glimpse at her other life, the one she'd locked them out of long ago. "Let's go home. I want to make you a hair piece that matches your new dress."

Penelope nodded, but sent a text out to Luke as she followed Flora out of the shopping center.

 **Flora thinks that your vacation is not any good. She says you're going to have an aching back by the end of it.**

It was a reach, but she wanted an excuse to talk to him even though he was supposed to be calling her that night. Maybe if he did say he could use a vacation from his vacation, she could slip in how he was welcome to come visit.

….

Luke was in the dining hall with a few of the other volunteers, but he was sitting at the end of one of the tables all by himself looking at his phone. He had replied to Penelope that he was very strong and able bodied, and she said something back about being quite sure of that. They exchanged some more flirty texts, but, in between working and her being busy with her family, they only had time for a few. It was still an hour before he was supposed to call her, but he was done with his food, and he was watching the time change on his phone, as if staring it down would make it move faster.

"Buddy, you gotta make contact with the outside world." Hoyt took the seat across from him.

"Leave him alone, Bri. He's in love." The woman sing-songed the last word as she held onto her husband's arm.

"Cindy, I've never even kissed the woman. I'm not in love," Luke protested, even though as he said it, his eyes fell to the phone he'd set on the table, seeing the minute pass by.

"So she's nearby? Why not invite her over here? Would she volunteer?" Cindy asked as she laid her head on Brian's shoulder.

"She does volunteer a lot for various things, but, unless she can hammer in heels, this isn't her thing." Luke indicated the Army t-shirt she was wearing.

"Okay, okay, so maybe we can just meet her next week. When we're done with the build, we'll have a nice alcoholic celebration. She can come to that," Brian said.

"Okay, Hoyt. Don't push it." Luke smiled at him. "I'll see how tomorrow goes. Maybe I can gauge what's going on with her."

"From what you said, she's a friend at least, and there's nothing wrong with inviting a friend. If for some reason she has no further interest, there's no harm done." Hoyt had wrapped his fingers around Cindy's.

"Oh, she's interested," Cindy protested. "Have you seen his face?" she asked her husband incredulously.

Both men laughed at her. She shook her head and walked away, but not before giving Brian a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, if all it takes is this face, then I should be set, but this girl is a tough nut to crack. All she does is give me shit." Luke leaned on the table, taking a drink from his water bottle.

"Hey, welcome to my world." Hoyt hooked his thumb over his shoulder towards where Cindy was filling up another plate of food. "All I'm saying is I've never seen you wait for a girl to get in contact with you. Remember when we were in Germany for three weeks, and that girl tried to get you to go out with her every night? All you did was blow her off. Nothing wrong with the girl, beautiful, charming, sweet. She was a primary school teacher with an affinity for dancing in clubs, and you didn't even blink at her."

"I don't remember her. Was she the one that fell into the pool at Johnson's homecoming bash?" Luke asked the question as he swiped the screen of his phone, looking for a notification he knew wasn't there.

Hoyt watched his fingers move on the screen. "No, bozo. That wasn't even in the same country. However, that girl was trying to have your babies. Did you ever even call her?"

"What? Who?" Luke asked as he picked up his phone, trying to refresh his email in case Penelope had decided to use her technical skills instead of her phone skills.

"Holy shit, nevermind, Bro." Hoyt got up from the table, picking up his water bottle and leaving Luke staring at his phone.

Luke didn't even notice. He decided he was only a half hour early, and, that if she didn't answer, she would call him back anyway. He walked to his hut, divesting of his shoes and making himself comfortable on the bed, before hitting the button next to the picture he had of her where she was holding her hands up trying to stop him from taking said picture. He smiled nervously as he let the phone ring.

* * *

Summer will be updated way more often than my other stories have been. Because this is by far my longest Garvez story. So don't worry, not a long wait.


	6. Chapter 6

As promised here's another update! I am trying to keep up with all remaining stories at this point. Fog and Cash were both updated in the past couple days. And I will get another chapter of this out in a couple days. I might also put up a one-shot or a chapter of Manor by the weekend. The finale of Signals will be posted soon too.

* * *

Penelope's phone was laying on the kitchen counter. She was helping dry the dishes as she waited for the phone call that was somehow playing through her mind all day long. She checked the clock above the stove, seeing that she had at least a half hour to go and that was if he called exactly at the time she spoke to him yesterday. He said he would call around the same time, and she wasn't sure if he meant the time he text her originally, or the time he originally called her, or the time they hung up, so there was a lot of leeway. She wanted to keep her mind occupied so she wouldn't drive herself crazy with the nerves she had.

She heard the ring she had set just for him start to go off. It was a slow song that he had sung along to at the bar one time when it came on. Most of the team had been playing darts, and those that weren't had been sitting discussing the case they had just finished. But Penelope had zoned out, not wanting to hear half of the information. Luke heard the song come on and was staring down at the table in front of him, moving his beer back and forth in the water ring it had created as he started muttering the words to himself. She purposely didn't look at him as he'd done so because she didn't want to embarrass him and make him stop. She'd gone home and downloaded it immediately, assigning it to his name and playing it a few times before she'd fallen asleep that night.

Her mind had wandered off, and she was trying to find a dry towel to wipe her hands on so she could grab her phone. She jerked around the kitchen trying to move quickly, but, before she could do so, "Hey, _My Newbie_. What is happening? How was your day?" Juan asked, as he ran around the kitchen island to keep away from Penelope.

Luke laughed. "My day was fine. I got a couple of splinters, but that's all, uh…" He trailed off not knowing which brother he was speaking to, but knowing it wasn't Marcos because his voice sounded different.

"Juan, I'm Juan. So, about those intentions, we were discussing it today," Juan paused his speech as he twirled out of reach of Penelope and hid behind Flora, "we wanted to know if it was possible that you tell us if you are _just from work_ as my sister keeps trying to convince us all while she desperately awaits your correspondence."

"Juan, I swear to God! I am going to push you into the wood chipper out back and then use your remains as fertilizer to grow tomatoes and feed them to Git," she screamed at him.

Flora moved to the side, leaving Juan open. Penelope punched as hard as she could to his chest. He flinched, but he was half a foot taller than her and solid. "What? It's a good question." Juan gave her an innocent face as he came to the couches where his three brothers were smiling as they watched the television.

"We are not doing this again! Dad!" Penelope screamed as she came up next to his recliner, following Juan who had ducked to the other side of the wide, worn out chair.

Arturo smiled broadly, putting his hand out towards Juan, waiting for the phone to be dropped there. Juan sighed but put the phone in his hand before joining the others on the couch. "Okay, Penelope. We won't harass your boyfriend anymore. Today." He tipped his head up, waiting for the grateful kiss on his cheek that Penelope was going to give him, but, as she pulled back from him with her hand out to get the phone, he spoke quickly into the speaker. "She's my favorite child, so I would like an answer to that question tomorrow. You can call me directly; my number is-"

Penelope snatched the phone out of his hand and stomped off down the hall. "You guys are the worst!" She slammed her door again just as she had the night before, quickly bringing the phone up to her ear only to hear the laughter coming through the speaker. "Oh my goodness! This is not funny. There is nothing funny about this."

Luke was still chuckling as he answered. "I think you're wrong about that one. This is hilarious. Give me Arturo's number. I'll call him just for the entertainment." He laughed again.

Penelope couldn't help but laugh too. She sat down on the edge of the bed as she pushed her hair out of her face. "At least someone finds them to be funny. I don't know how they get any work done when all of them are together," she said to him as she brought her legs up on the bed to cross them.

"I'm not sure either. So how was your day? Did you sleep in until dinner?" He knew she hadn't since she'd texted him that afternoon.

"No, I got up before noon, which was no fun by the way, and then I went shopping with Flora."

"What did you get?"

"You want to know what I got when I was shopping?" She was amused but confused.

"Yeah, why not?" he asked her as he put his arm behind his head to settle in as he spoke.

"I just didn't think you'd be interested." She shrugged. "But I got a traditional dress for tomorrow. Well sort of traditional, it had a little modern flare to it and a pair of shoes to match. They are supposed to be for dancing, but I don't dance." She shook her head as if to prove her point.

"I've seen you dance," he countered.

"Yeah to 'Don't Stop Believing,' as JJ and I drunkenly sang in each other's faces. That's… white girl dancing. This requires a rhythm I do not have. They are crazy if they think I'm going to try that again." She was exhausted already from having to convince them that she would never even try.

He had closed his eyes in disbelief at her. "Okay, I get it. Don't worry. I won't make you either. So you got the dress for tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, I guess. Flora says I can wear it all the time, but her and Arturo always dress up every Friday. The boys just wear jeans and button ups most of the time, unless one of them has a date coming. Then they wear an entire bottle of cologne too."

Luke was chuckling again. He never seemed to stop laughing around her. "It sounds like fun, and I think the dress will look very nice on you."

"What? How would you know?" she questioned as she picked at her pedicure.

"Because all dresses look nice on you." He put his hand over his face wondering if it was cheesy or corny or weird to say. Her momentary silence did nothing to ease his nerves.

Penelope was blushing, grateful they weren't on a video call. "Oh well, when you put it that way..."

He swallowed, happy that his remark didn't make the conversation awkward. "So, I was wondering if-"

"Hey, Mom wants us to go get ice cream. Put your shoes on." Santi was in the doorway, where he'd thrown the door open.

"Santiago! You're supposed to knock! What if I was doing personal lady things in here?" Penelope put the phone further down her face so she wouldn't be yelling in Luke's ear.

"Oh yeah right. Like we don't all know you're talking to your _boyfriend._ " He threw a small plastic basketball at her from the game they kept in the den.

It fell on the bed where she grabbed it, throwing it back as hard as she could and watching it barely bounce off his arm muscle. "I don't want ice cream."

"I didn't ask if you wanted ice cream. I'm telling you Mom wants ice cream, and we're going to get some as a family. Say goodbye to your boyfriend, send him a naughty picture, and then get in the car." He'd thrown the ball back at her, hitting her leg. She quickly grabbed the ball and stood up, hurling it at him as hard as she could.

"Santi! Get out of here!" she screamed. He caught the ball in his hand and shut the door quickly as he saw her charging his way. "Oh my God! I'm going to lose my mind!" she growled.

"Ah huh, Chica. You're having a good time, and you know it. Those people love you, and you fit in way too good." Luke was enjoying experiencing her relationship with these people that she never mentioned, which he found odd since she was always so inclusive. He wondered why she kept them so far away from her life.

"Well, they're okay, I guess," she muttered.

"Look I don't want to get on their bad side before I've even met them ,so go get ice cream, and I will talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. Oh, but I'll be at the fiesta tomorrow night," she said a little disappointed.

"I think I have an early day. Hoyt, my buddy, lets everyone have an early weekend since we're here on our own time. I think I can work something out. Don't worry, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

She creased her brow at his charming tone but accepted his answer. "Okay, I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow then."

"Yeah, you will. Goodnight, Garcia." She was about to hang up when she heard his voice again. "Uh, I mean I wouldn't mind the dirty picture if you have it already." He was trying to hold back his chuckle.

Hers broke through as she spoke. "Oh my God!" She was trying not to burst into laughter and trying to stop herself from spontaneously combusting as she froze mid-stride. "I uh - sh - I - Oh my God! Good night." She hung up and had a huge smile on her face as she tried to shake off the tingles all over her arms and legs.

Her door flew open again. Git walked in, picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and walked down the hall without a word as she beat her fists on his back. "I don't have shoes."

"Should've thought of that before you made me wait for my ice cream."

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Thank you for all the reviews, follows, or favs on anything of mine. Or for reaching out at all. If I haven't gotten back to you, I assure it's my improper time management and not you. Thanks!

Thanks to BookDragon2013 for reading and loving this story.


	7. Chapter 7

As I said, Summer is already at 40 chapters so I am trying to post it more often. Of course as many of you know, I basically write an entire long ass story and then spend double the time trying to cut it into chapters and edit typos. But I am trying to update everything in a decent order. Manor was yesterday so next is Cash, then When, then the final chapter of Signals. Fog and another one-shot will come in the next couple weeks. Thanks!

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"So tell us about this goofy looking white boy." Marcos stuffed fried dough into his mouth.

Penelope glared at him in confusion, "Who?"

"Luke, duh." Marcos rolled his eyes.

Everyone at the table laughed except Flora who gave him a disapproving look. "Why would you think he's goofy looking?" Penelope squinted at him as she sipped her strawberry flavored concoction. It was only four thirty in the afternoon, but Arturo insisted she could have a drink, even though she told him she didn't know how she was going to make it at least another six hours at the fiesta if she started now.

"No offense, Sis, but in every picture I've ever seen of one of your boyfriends, it's a goofy looking white dude." Juan snatched her drink and took a sip from the straw.

Penelope sat straight up as she squinted at the faces around the table, holding in smirks or blatantly cuckling. "How rude!"

"Oh, mija. It's just that it seems you have a type." Flora was trying to be diplomatic.

"I do not! I love good-looking men. Arguably too much, actually." She sat back thinking of Derek and how she would blatantly salivate over him or tell Matt about his wonderful bicep tattoos. Both were extremely hot, neither white and not the least bit goofy.

"Okay, but then explain Shane," Santi said to her.

"What do you mean explain him?"

"He was a jerk, _and_ he had weird hair," Marcos remarked.

"How do you remember? You were like fourteen when I dated him? And he was decent looking."

"Okay, he was alright, mediocre at best, and you're right. He wasn't goofy; he was just an asshole," Juan said.

"Those other two you sent us pictures of were nerds," Git informed her.

"I'm a nerd," she defended.

"Yeah, but, what I mean is, they weren't good enough for you. If you dated a nerd that was good enough for you, then sure, but that one guy. I just didn't like his look," Git said.

"Who? Kevin? Wait, nevermind. Doesn't matter. You never met anyone I've dated in the last fifteen years!" she protested.

"And whose fault is that?" Git gave her an attitude.

Everyone glared at him, but he just gave an unapologetic shrug. "Mija, your brothers are just trying to say they think you've sold yourself short in the past, and that you shouldn't." Arturo patted her hand that was on the table.

"Well, you're not wrong, but some of them were nice enough." She snatched back her drink from where Juan had set it on the table.

"Yeah, and that's good. They should be nice to you, but you need more than just nice enough," Juan said.

"That's why I'm alone. I don't want to settle anymore. Everything up until now has been because I needed someone to distract me, like Shane. Or because I thought it would be good enough for awhile. I don't want to waste my time anymore." She was biting the small straw in between her teeth.

"Okay, then what about Luke?" Marcos broke into her daydream where she'd already been featuring Luke as the lead role.

"Wha - what about him? We work together." She was immediately defensive.

"And the rest of your coworkers call you every night to check in?" Santi asked her.

Penelope rolled her eyes. "He's not interested in me. He's just a really good friend."

"Why would he not be interested in you?" Arturo asked her.

"See, goofy white boys," Git said by way of explanation.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Penelope threw the orange slice that was adorning the rim of her glass at him. "I am both white and goofy."

"Yeah, whatever, Chica." Git rolled his eyes at her.

"I told you not to call me that." She picked up the straw wrapper that was near her and threw it at him.

"Oh, I forgot, Mariposa," Git said as he tossed a cherry stem at her.

"Pennita, why can't we say 'Chica'?" Juan asked.

"Yes, why, Loca?" Santi asked her next.

"Oh my goodness, stop it! Why are you always picking on me?" She huffed and put her elbows on the table.

"Yeah, come on guys. Leave Rubia alone," Marcos gave a mock disapproving shake of his head.

"No, I can pick on Naranja all I want," Git said as he threw the slice of orange back at her.

"Okay, boys. Stop it." Flora inched closer to the table. "Are you going to ask this Luke to come visit us when he is done with his project?"

Penelope glanced at her before shrugging. "I don't even know where he is, and he probably has plans or something."

"I thought you said that he asked you to go out with him when you were back from vacation?" Flora questioned her.

"Well, yeah, but I mean we'd probably find the time to meet the others at the bar one night. It doesn't mean he's not doing something the rest of the time," Penelope argued.

"Well, I would like to meet him," Arturo said. "I want to meet one of your boyfriends, other than Shane." He said the name with disgust.

"He's not my boyfriend."

"I know, mija, but we'd still like to meet a friend of yours. We haven't met any of these people you spend so much time with," Flora said to her.

"Yeah, it's like you're ashamed of us or something." Marcos dipped his fried dough in the whipped cream of her drink and got some on his nose.

"It's not that. It's just, you all don't have to keep pretending that - you don't have to invite me along just because - I'm okay. I'm older now. You don't have to bother with me." She stirred her drink with the small straw, swirling the whipped cream around making the drink a lighter pink.

Git sighed heavily. "Not this again." He brought his hand up to his forehead.

"I'm just saying, you don't have to pretend that I'm family. I know I was in the way before, and I don't want to be in the way." Her voice was small, and she could feel her eyes getting wet, but she tried desperately to keep the tears at bay.

Everyone stared at Git with annoyance. "Mi nina, it's not like that. It never was. We didn't do anything we didn't want to do. We might not have raised you, but you're still ours," Arturo said to her, once again covering her hand with his.

She nodded but kept her head down as she tried to concentrate on the colorful ribbons on the skirt of her dress.

They all silently sat back in their chairs, trying to come back from the tense moment. "I'm going to get another drink." Penelope pushed her drink away from her as she readied herself to stand up.

"You better pace yourself. We've got a while to go," Marcos said to her with a huge smile on his face. "Mom and Dad just have to get this table, and we all just have to sit here and hold the chairs."

"This is a bad thing?" Flora asked in annoyance. "You always have the best seats for the show, and Isabelle's has the best food."

"Yeah, but then only two of us can get up at any one time. Otherwise you think we'll lose the table, and then we can't actually enjoy the rest of the fiesta," Santi explained to her.

She waved her hand in dismissal. "You tell me what's better than having a good seat for the mariachis."

"The dessert truck on the other side of the street."

"The dance floor in front of Cafe Ropa."

"The girls in front of Cafe Ropa."

"The soccer game they start at the park."

"Ay, and you can do all of that," Flora argued. "Two at a time."

All of them started talking over each other, arguing their points and also trying to decide who got to go where first, and who would bring back food for each other. Penelope had stayed in her seat, watching them argue and laughing as Arturo made funny faces at her about the others. Until the moment she saw his eyes move over her head, and he furrowed his brow in confusion. Penelope squinted at him trying to figure out what made him so confused. She turned around in her chair to see what he was looking at. She saw the most familiar face she knew since it lived in her dreams every night.

"Luke!" She stood up swiftly and hugged him forcefully not holding back at all, the surprise of his appearance making her uninhibited.

He held onto her, bringing his arms around her fully and squeezing her as he put his head next to hers as he spoke quietly in her ear. "Hey, I thought I would surprise you. I hope that's okay."

She pulled back from him finally. "Yes, yes, of course. I just didn't - how did you - I mean - you were - yes, of course." She knew she was flustered. She tried to push her hair back, but she forgot it was already up in a ponytail with her long curls coming down the back, so she moved her hand up to the colorful hair piece at the top of her pony tail, touching it with her fingers for reassurance.

"So umm, yeah, I don't want to impose, but you told me where you were going to be, and I got done early today so…" He trailed off, thinking this might not be the greatest idea after all. Her family seemed jovial on the phone, but maybe he was going to be taking time away from them that he shouldn't be.

"No, you are not imposing at all." She took a quick glance at the people behind her, all of whom were smirking. She leaned in close to him. "Although, this may be your last chance to run," she said it quite seriously, but he laughed instead as he squeezed her fingers. She didn't realize she'd kept his hand in hers when she pulled away from the hug. She quickly let go, before turning to the table.

"Bueno, él no es gringo," Git said as he eyed Luke.

"Hey! None of that!" she scolded him. Git shrugged as Luke chuckled softly behind her.

"He's not goofy looking either," Marcos acknowledged as he grabbed her drink that she'd abandoned even though it was half full.

Penelope leaned back into Luke's chest as she spoke quietly, "This might be the part where _I_ run." She kept her eyes on the people seated around the table.

"Well, introduce us," Juan encouraged impatiently.

Penelope sighed. "This is Guermillo, Git, because it's more appropriate, Santiago, but, Santi, Flora, Juan, Marcos, and this is Arturo. Everybody, this is Luke."

"Nice to meet all of you." Luke nodded at the table, giving Flora an extra smile.

"I'm mad at you," Arturo said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Luke looked at him confused, "Uh wha-"

"You never called me. How is that supposed to make me feel?" Arturo put his hand over his heart.

Luke laughed wholeheartedly at him, and so did everyone else except Penelope who was staring daggers at him.

"Yeah, you never answered my questions, so I-"

Penelope cut off Marcos' statement. "I'm going to go get that drink now." She grabbed Luke's hand. "And you're coming with me."

"We can just talk when you get back," Juan hollered to their retreating forms.

"We're never coming back," Penelope called back to the table. They got inside of Isabelle's, and she walked towards the drink counter but stopped before she got there. "You can duck out the side of the building. It's seriously okay. I will hold nothing against you," she told him in embarrassment.

He hadn't stopped chuckling since he got there. "Oh, no way am I leaving now. It's clear that the party is just beginning," he remarked.

"Oh no, not you too. I need someone on my side," she whined.

He squeezed her fingers that were still in one hand and then grabbed the other one with his. "I'm always on your side. I thought you knew that about me by now." He was peering down at her. She finally looked at him, scanning his eyes, seeing the joy there.

She nodded mutely. "Okay, well I guess you can stay then, if you want." She stared straight ahead at his chest where his top button was unbuttoned. She let out another whine.

He tried to contain his laughter once again. "I'm looking forward to this more than you know."

"Well, that's dumb because they are going to harass you the whole night," she said to him as she pulled him to the counter. "Order me that thing I was just having."

He stuck his neck out at her. "You can't order your own drink?"

"I can, but not in front of you because I say it very American, and you'll laugh at me," she pouted.

The waitress came up to the counter. He ordered her drink and then a beer for himself, putting money on the counter before turning back to her. "So is there anything I should know before I get back out there and face the firing squad?"

He'd let go of her hands when he ordered, but, after putting his wallet back in his pocket, he grabbed her hand as they leaned on the counter looking at each other. She glanced down at their hands intertwined, swinging slightly and casually. "Uh no, except don't listen to anything they say, and you don't have to actually talk to them if you don't want to."

"So I should sit silently at the table and not say or hear anything?"

"Yes, yes, do that." She nodded vehemently.

He laughed again. He glanced up and down. "Is this the dress you got?" He let his eyes roam all the way down to her shoes, which were a black short heel, and then up her long legs that he'd always admired before looking at her body where the dress was cinching her waist. His eyes got to her chest where the wide neck almost went to her shoulders. He finally let his eyes move up to her hair that was pulled back into a simple ponytail. Her signature curls were still there, showing off her neck that somehow he'd never got to admire like this before. A perfect small bow that matched her dress sat right at the top of it. He let his eyes fall to her lips, where she'd put on a light pink lipstick that had already faded. "You look really beautiful, Penelope," he said as his sight finally landed on her face.

She'd observed him silently take in her appearance and almost felt self conscious at such a blatant appraisal, but she watched his eyes fill with what she thought was desire, so she stayed perfectly still until he'd spoken again. The sincerity in his voice made her bite her lip to keep from giggling. "Thanks, Luke." She quickly admired his jeans and open button down, a little bit nicer than his normal attire. She still thought he looked as handsome as ever. Everyday he'd come into work she'd wonder how he managed to look better than the last, even when he'd worn the same clothes before. "You look nice too." She turned to the counter where the drinks were being set.

He was staring at her as he picked up his beer, watching her grab a napkin and three stirring straws that she stuck in her drink. The waitress said something to him in Spanish, and Penelope made a curious face at her, wondering what she'd said. Penelope turned to Luke who still had his eyes on her. "No, gracias," he said to the woman without ever looking at her. He tilted his head towards the door, indicating Penelope should lead the way out.

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Thanks for all favs, follows, reviews, words of support, they mean a lot.

Thanks BookDragon2013 for dealing with my long detailed stories!


	8. Chapter 8

My life is a hot mess still. But hey, I have lots of updates for all my stories coming your way. Thanks for all the support.

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Penelope led him to the table happily. She came to sit at the chair she was in previously, seeing that while they were gone the boys had procured a chair for Luke as well. She gave a silent thank you to the universe that they put it next to hers and weren't going to try and interrogate him on the far end of the table. She inwardly chuckled, knowing that no one would be successful if they tried anyway.

After sitting down cautiously and then looking around, she waited for someone to say something utterly ridiculous. She finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they were attempting to be normal for once. "So Luke you work at the FBI too? You like it as much as mi chiquita?" Arturo asked him.

Luke nodded, adjusting in his chair. "I do actually. It's gotten better in the past couple of years though." He smiled at Penelope who was observing him as he spoke. She shyly met his eyes before turning to Santi when she heard his voice.

"So you started working together a couple years ago?" Santi was not subtle, but he was trying his best considering. She was astounded that they hadn't already asked her if she wanted to have his babies.

Luke let out an inaudible chuckle. "Yeah, we did. Garcia-uh, Penelope, she's really good at her job. She makes things a lot easier than when I was working alone most of the time," he informed them, having changed his reference to her since these were all Garcia's looking back at him.

"So what did you do before that?" Juan asked.

"I was an Army Ranger. I was deployed a lot of the time, and then I was in a few different units in the FBI but Fugitive Recovery the longest, until the BAU," he told him politely.

"So you've never been married? Don't have any kids running around anywhere?" Git asked as he sipped his beer.

"Oh my God! You don't even know him. Can you be normal?" Penelope put her head in her hands.

Everyone laughed except Git who was taken aback, thinking it was about as polite as he'd ever been. "No, none of the above," Luke informed him.

"See, it's a good question," Git said in protest.

"So what's this thing?" Marcos pointed back and forth in between the two of them.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Mom!" Penelope kept her face hidden in her hands.

Flora put her hand up to stop Marcos from saying anything else. "I'm so happy to meet you. We never meet any of Penelope's friends anymore." She smiled at Luke.

"If you all can ever manage to find the time, you should come up to Virginia and meet the team. I have no doubts they would love to meet you," Luke said to the table.

"Sure. When? Can we stay with you? I'm not staying with Penelope. She's messy," Git said to him.

"Uh, whenever you like, sure, and I don't think she's very messy," Luke addressed all of his concerns at once.

Penelope's head popped up. "You don't need to come see me. I can just come down and see you."

"Yeah, once every three years," Git mumbled as he brought his beer bottle back up to his lips.

Penelope was going to say something to him again, but Luke grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lap where he held onto it casually, the movement both calming and stimulating. The rest of the table took in the action with wonder. She calmly halted what she was going to say, allowing Arturo to speak again. "We would love to come up sometime. It's no trouble at all, mija." He then turned to Luke. "So what is this volunteering thing you're doing?"

"One of the guys I knew from the Rangers, him and his wife run this charity. They build libraries in American cities that can't afford to redo theirs and also in other countries that can't get the funding. Usually it's in an already up and running school. Sometimes it's the first one the place has seen," Luke told him.

"Wait, are you working over at the school just outside of the city? With Brian?" Marcos asked.

Luke furrowed his eyebrows. "Uh yeah, Hoyt - Brian was in my unit."

All the men at the table laughed expect Luke and Git. "We just delivered some things to him last week. He needed help with a shelving unit that would fit in the corner from floor to ceiling, but he said he lost a couple people, and they didn't have the manpower, so we took the materials he had and built it for him," Juan told him.

"Wow, that was you guys? It's in place now. In fact, I just put in the last drywall screws, not two hours ago. With that up we're actually pretty close to being done. The rest of the indoor shelves are already built just need to be anchored," Luke informed them happily.

"This is a very weird coincidence. What is the name of the witch that controls the fates?" Git asked out loud to no in particular.

"There is no witch controlling anything," Penelope snapped at him.

"Well, that's not true. You made me put on deodorant this morning." He stuck his tongue out at her.

"You work at a gym. Sweating everyday is your profession. Why on earth does someone have to _tell_ you to do that?" She admonished him. Everyone laughed except the two that were arguing.

"Anyway, that's cool that you're helping out on your vacation time. You are on vacation? You didn't get fired like Penelope, did you?" Santi asked.

"I did not get fired!" She took a sip of her drink.

Luke squeezed her hand again, which she had been very aware was sitting in his lap the whole time. "No, we are both very much on vacation. The whole team was given time off. There were a lot of bad cases lately. We lost a team member just a year ago. They want to make sure we're all okay."

Flora blessed herself, before asking, "Are you in danger like that?" She frantically questioned Penelope.

"No, not really. Only sometimes, and it's rare, and my superheros are always there to save the day. It's Luke that's always in danger," she said somewhat sadly. This time she squeezed his hand, seeking the comfort he'd been giving her.

He smiled over at Flora. "We're all very careful. Please don't worry. There's worse out there," he assured her. "We do have five weeks off though, so it's a long time, and I needed something to do. I'd be bored back home with just my Roxy to keep me company."

"Oh Roxy! Where is she?"

"She's with Phil. Actualy I kind of thought it would be nice to let Lou learn from her for awhile."

"Aww, that's such a good idea."

"Are those members of your team?" Marcos asked confused.

"No, Roxy was my K-9 in Afghanistan, and Phil was my partner. He's in physical recovery. Penelope and I got him a dog we named Lou to help him get through it."

The others smiled at the two of them who were too busy smiling at each other to notice anyone around them. The waitress came up and said something in Spanish that Penelope didn't understand. She assumed she was asking to clear off drinks or something like that, until she saw everyone freeze and stare at the woman that was near Luke's face, as she bent over near his head to grab his empty beer bottle. Luke had stiffened and moved away from her to lean into Penelope until she was gone. Penelope's face scrunched up. "Was she hitting on you?" Penelope asked calmly.

Luke nodded at her. "She was."

"What is with you and waitresses? You know Melanie at O'keefes? She is always trying to get in your pants. She used to do that with Derek too," Penelope said contemplatively.

"Who's Melanie?" Luke asked genuinely curious.

"You know the one with the long hair down to her butt, and she always has on the tall boots and the dangly earrings." Penelope sipped her drink.

Luke was trying to recall the information in his head. "Am I a bad profiler?" he asked. "Because I have no clue who you're talking about. I always go to the bar to order my drink."

Penelope almost laughed. "No, you're not a bad profiler. You're so clueless though. She literally writes her number down every time you come in, but one time you cleaned up Spencer's spill with it, and she scoffed at you as you set it on her tray." Penelope had to let out a giggle. Luke's face was the picture of confusion. "I assume she said something either very blatant, or very mean about me because otherwise you wouldn't have picked up on it. She was already hitting on you inside."

Luke's face turned in deeper puzzlement. "That was a different waitress inside."

Penelope rolled her eyes. "No, it wasn't. She just took off her apron and put her hair down. I'm guessing so you could get a look at those-" She put her hands up near her chest, making everyone around the table laugh loudly.

"Are you sure you're not the profiler?" Luke questioned her with a smile.

"No, I'm a terrible profiler. You're very good at your job, but you are clueless about women. I'm guessing that's because you never had to try very hard," she informed him casually as she sipped her drink.

"Hey, I'm not clueless." He attempted to be offended, but he was waiting for her next explanation.

"You totally are. The girl at the dog adoption place also gave you her number."

"So I could give it to Phil in case he needed anything."

"That's what she said. That is not what she meant. And the one at the lunch place where we get those wraps? She hits on you every time we go there. That's why I take Reid instead." She continued to speak to him as if he was a child.

" _That's_ why you took Reid! I thought you were mad at me because I broke your purple pencil. I bought you a whole pack of purple pencils to make up for it, and I still didn't get to go," he almost whined.

Everyone at the table was finding the information they were hearing intriguing and the scene unfolding in front of them amusing. "You broke my purple pencil so you should replace it. But no, I'm not going back there with you. I don't even want to eat my lunch when you go because I'm afraid she drooled in it." Penelope glanced around the table, shaking her head.

"Wait. Which girl at the wrap place? The teenageer?" he asked indignantly.

"Oh my God! She's in her twenties at least. She's out of college. I asked. You know when I asked? When she emailed me thinking I was you." Penelope tilted her head at him.

"What?" He let his eyes scan the table. "Oh yeah, she asked me about the bureau. I thought she wanted an agent to come speak to her class. I didn't have any of my cards on me, so I gave her yours. I figured you'd be better at getting through to kids anyway," he explained, not entirely sure she wasn't making the whole thing up.

"Chyeah, she's not a kid, and a reference to the Bureau is not what she wanted from you. Wait, why do you have my cards on you and not your own?" She creased her brow as she tilted her head at him.

He shrugged, not actually knowing the answer. "I think I ran out of mine so I just grabbed yours. You can find me if someone needs me," he said absently.

"Oh my God! I'll send in an order before vacation is over, so they'll be there when we get back." She rolled her eyes, stirring her drink.

Luke shrugged again, not really understanding all of the information she had just given him, but deciding that she was usually right about most things.

"Wow, I like you," Arturo said to Luke.

"I thought you were mad at me still," Luke countered.

"I've decided to forgive you out of the generosity of my heart." Arturo put his hand over his chest again.

Even Penelope laughed this time. "You two should go walk over by the fountains. Show Luke the rest of the promenade," Flora said to them.

"I don't want to take her away from you," Luke countered.

"Plus, Juan and I get to leave first. We get to go get tacos," Santi said.

"Then Git and I are going to play the first match at the field. They have to wait their turn like everybody else," Marcos said. "This is family. Nobody gets favorites."

"That's not true. Mi niña linda is my favorite. You're all just here," Arturo announced, and Luke laughed at the faux gasps from the large men sitting around him.

"That's it. We're leaving." Santi stood up. Juan following close behind. "Actually can't three of us leave if Luke is here?"

"No! It's still more chairs. You can go after they get back," Flora said to Luke.

"Nuh uh," Marcos objected.

"Okay, you can go when these two get back." Luke nodded at her with a chuckle.

"We've got a couple of hours at least so…" Git trailed off. "Should we talk about why you two aren't dating or when you're going to start?" He pointed a stirring straw between them.

"Git!" Penelope picked up the orange slices and the limes that were on the table from the beers and chucked the whole handful at his face. There was juice running down his face as he licked his lips.

"Okay, we can talk about it later," he said dismissively as he grabbed a napkin from the table.


	9. Chapter 9

I've been updating everything recently, if you haven't got the update you want yet, it's coming soon. Thanks to everyone who has been reaching out. I am posting this just after midnight because I am finally moving tomorrow and I didn't want to get too busy to get things posted.

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As soon as Juan and Santi returned, Marcos and Git took off. They had just sauntered back, and it was already after nine. Penelope grabbed Luke's hand, thankful that they could finally leave the questioning eyes and curious comments of her so-called "family" behind.

"Wow, I am so impressed with you," she informed him as soon as they got to the street where they could walk and see all the different activities along the way. She let go of his hand as soon as they were on a clear path, only to have him swoop hers back up and hold it firmly.

"That's what it takes to impress you? You couldn't have told me that before, woman?" He laughed at her mystified face.

She tried not to let her stomach fly away with butterflies as he openly held her hand as they walked. "I'm sorry. Have you met these people? They're insane." She led him to the area that had multiple fountains and was less congested than the rest of the goings-on. She had no interest in dancing, and both of them ate and drank enough while they were waiting for their turn to leave.

"They're actually a lot of fun, and they love you a lot," he said to her, watching her face crinkle at the words. "Why does that make you feel awkward?" he questioned her curiously.

She swallowed, not really wanting to have to explain it, but feeling like she needed to. At least to get the pain out that she still felt. "Remember how I said that my name was from the family that took me in after my parents died? Well, that's them obviously, and, at first I was very grateful, but I didn't think I deserved it. I still went off the rails. I quit college eventually and all that. I went goth."

Luke's eyes widened as he took in that information, but she was in the middle of letting him in a little bit more, so he chose to ignore that entertaining tidbit.

"I hadn't truly processed anything, but, when I came home to them, it was okay. They were there for me. They were the parents and the brothers I needed, but I wasn't okay anywhere else. Once, when I was having a really bad time, like really bad, like I had been breaking the law with my boyfriend and I thought he might turn me in bad, I came home to them, and Git had been drinking, and he'd just broken up with his girlfriend. They had been together for twelve years; he wasn't handling it well. When I walked in crying and needing attention, he was having none of it. He screamed at me to get out, and that I wasn't actually his sister, that I was in the way, and I should never come back. That I was just a charity case."

He'd been holding her hand, but he intertwined their fingers before he spoke. "He loves you a lot, too. He doesn't really believe that." He knew she knew that, but he wanted her to hear it anyway.

"Yeah, I know. At least I think I know that. It's just, my parents died, and it was my fault, and then this family that I had known my whole life took me in as if it was the most natural thing in the world. There wasn't even an adjustment period. I went right into either being the bratty little sister or the cool older sister. I was Dad's favorite, and Mom's little girl. It was seamless, and I started calling them Mom and Dad. It didn't hurt to do so even though I had just lost my parents, simply because I knew that they loved me just as much as my parents ever did. I was in mourning, and I did bad things because of it, but they still loved me, and they knew it had nothing to do with them, and everything to do with the trauma. They were my rock. I even took their last name because it felt right. And also because I didn't feel like I deserved to use my parents' last name anymore. So when I was going off the deep end and caught myself doing it, I wanted them to save me. I wanted to get back to being Penelope. I wanted them to drive me to therapy and to throw out my black eye shadow for good, and I get there, and Git was telling me I was nothing, and I was a charity case, and I didn't belong. I know, with how it is now, it seems like I should've called him an asshole and waited for him to stop crying over his own bullshit, but I was already so lost, and I felt like I was losing my entire family all over again just from his words, because for the first time, it felt true."

She let a tear fall from her eye, and Luke brought his other hand up to her face to wipe it away. "I assume they didn't let you just walk away."

"They didn't. Mom, Dad, Santi, and Juan were there. Santi punched him and told him to get his drunk ass out of the house. But I was already running out the door. Juan tried to stop me, but his growth spurt came late. He's only a couple years younger than me, but I pushed his short little butt out of my way and hauled ass out of there. I came back the next day when the house was empty, grabbed my stuff and left. That was when I decided to let the FBI catch me. I figured they'd rather have me on their side than against them, and I was right. It didn't take too long to get a plan in place and let Derek and Hotch find me."

He gave a slight chuckle. "Let?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, Honey, even now, with this team, you wouldn't be able to get me if I didn't want you to." She smirked as she looked straight ahead of her, not noticing his smirk at her words. "But yeah, I needed a new life. I needed to be someone else. I needed a place to belong, that was mine and that nobody could take away from me. I might have overreacted. I don't know. But I can tell you, at the time, it felt like there was no choice for me. It felt like losing everything all over again. I had to get away from my boyfriend, and I had to get a life of my own."

"I understand, but why are you still holding it against them now? And not just Git either. You are holding it against all of them." He sincerely wanted to know.

She sighed. "I don't want to let them back in, because I could never lose them again. I would never recover. You can only lose your parents so many times before you are destroyed. I know he didn't mean it. They chased for so long afterwards, but I knew how to hide when I needed to. I finally did reach out to let them know I was okay. Mom and Dad were ready to have heart attacks, thinking that I was off somewhere doing who knows what, but I kept my distance for a long time. Eventually I came around a little bit once I had been in the BAU for awhile, and I felt settled. I went to visit a few times in California, but it just wasn't the same. Git apologized profusely, bought me everything under the sun he could think of, but I was too far gone emotionally. Now I treat them like distant relatives I see sometimes. I don't know if that's fair to any of us," she said sadly.

"You could let them back in, you know? I mean you don't have to, but you could, and you know you always have the team if you need them. You can't be all that paranoid because you let them in. You don't have any sec - well you only have a few secrets," he amended as he let his shoulder brush hers.

She smiled. "Yeah and all of you are family, but some people have come and gone there too. And yes, I can still call all of them and talk to them except well, you know..." She peered at him, willing him to understand that she didn't want to say Steven's name, or Gideon's for that matter.

He nodded. "Yeah, and I know some people who have moved on aren't as close to you anymore, but you still have most of the team who will never not be a phone call away. Morgan's a great example of that. He's still your best friend; it doesn't matter where he works. So can't you just believe that some people won't ever go away?" He nudged her shoulder again.

"I think I do, mostly. But Prentiss lied, and I had to move on, and I found that I did, and that was scary because, when she came back from the dead, I was ecstatic of course, but there's a wall up now that I can't let her get over again. I think JJ and Derek were over it, but I wonder if I didn't shut him out a little when he left, maybe even before that, when I saw him get serious about relationships. I just knew that he would have another life eventually. Before that, I knew he would die for me before anyone else. It sounds stupid, but I knew for a fact, if there were guns pointed at everybody, he would jump in front of me first. Now I'm sure that person is Savannah or Hank, and it should be. My point is, that I lost my family, and I no longer had people that I was the most important to, and then I found people who I thought - but there was this line that was drawn, and it reminded me that no matter how nice they were, I wasn't actually theirs. I wasn't their responsibility to send to college or to walk down the aisle. There was no reason for them to ever choose me over their actual kids, and that's okay. That's understandable, but I didn't want to be reminded that I no longer meant the whole world to someone." She shrugged, wondering if he would understand or think she was juvenile for feeling that way.

"I can see why you would feel that way. Even though the team will always be there for you, they also have families. JJ has Will and the kids. You hold a place in their lives though, and I hope you don't forget that." He smiled at her. She was still staring straight ahead as she had been doing the whole time she'd been talking. "I can't speak for these people, but, if I took an educated guess, then I'd say they would never think you were a choice. They would never put you behind the others, but, if you decide to keep them at a distance forever, that's okay, and I get that. You have to do what's right for you."

She stared at the ground in front of her as she walked. "I think I have to make that decision soon. I've been putting it off for almost fifteen years, and now that I'm older, I have to decide if they are a part of the life I choose to lead when I finally choose to move on."

"Move on?" He felt a panic in his voice that he hoped wasn't as harsh as it felt in his head.

"Not from the BAU. Probably, anyway. When Spencer was...I told Emily if anything happened to him, I would resign. It would be another example of someone that was supposed to be there not being there anymore. But no, I don't want to leave my job for a very long time. I mean move on in life. Every relationship I've gotten into, I never wanted it long term. I dated Lynch for years simply because it felt safe. I knew inside that I didn't care if I lost him so it wouldn't matter. The problem is, I know that now, so yeah, if I move on and actually act like an adult and take real risks, then I've got to figure out what that looks like, or who I am when that happens."

He nodded at her. "I see. That's a tough problem, when you wake up and realize you weren't even living for the longest time. Just existing."

"Exactly, and I wasn't, simply because I was scared. Which means that since I was a teenager, I haven't even moved beyond what I had emotionally back then, and now I'm terrified. What happens when I actually fall in love for the first time, real love, not the crap I've been doing? How broken will I be when it doesn't work out? And what if I do let them be my family again? What happens if one of them has kids? Am I really going to be Aunt Penelope, or am I going to be the lady they have over for Christmas because she has nowhere else to be? I don't think I can be broken again, Luke, and they could hurt me pretty bad. A parent's love is supposed to be unconditional, and I can't help but wonder if theirs is because how do you just let yourself love like that?" Her eyes were misty, but she was impressed with herself for not breaking down into inconsolable tears.

"Penelope, I think you're much stronger than you know. You think you've been hiding, but you can't really keep yourself down because I already see all the love you give to everyone. You don't treat people with the kindness that you do, if you're too broken. You are so much more than you give yourself credit for. I wish that my words could make you believe that." He was now watching the sidewalk as it disappeared under his feet.

She peeked over at him, wondering what made him so perfect, and how in the world he could be available. How he wasn't divorced or didn't have some kid he had to chase around that he would be obligated to forever. She didn't understand how in the world he wasn't taken, but more than that, she had no idea how she ended up being the lucky girl that was holding his hand right now. "You could probably make me believe it eventually. I find you to be very honest so maybe you would wear me down." Her voice sounded more normal and less sad since their conversation began.

He glanced down at her, finally seeing her face again since they'd started walking. "Let's sit over here." He pointed with both of their hands towards the edge of the biggest fountain.

"You want to sit again? After all the sitting all evening?" she teased.

"We got up for drinks all the time, and I was told to change seats even more times," he told her. "That family of yours has way too much energy."

She giggled. "Yeah I guess so." She seated herself next to him on the ledge of the fountain. "Luke, since you are so honest, can you please tell me what that woman said when she was hitting on you?" She was observing his face as he sighed.

"Penelope, it doesn't matter." He saw her stern face, knowing she would harass him until he told her. "She said something about showing me a good time, but with more sexual words. Then she said she didn't see why I'd bother bringing some white girl that wasn't good enough for me home to my family."

Penelope scrunched her face as she stared down at her feet. "I can see why the boys didn't say anything then. They wouldn't have wanted to chance me understanding them if they told her I was actually their sister, because it would be another thing for me to hold against them all over again."

Luke nodded. "I figured it was something. They don't seem like the types to hold back when someone does something disrespectful."

Penelope turned her face to him again. "You know, if she thought that was your family, then that was pretty bold, not because I was sitting there, but because they were. If you dumped me right there and took her up on her offer, were you going to bring the woman who sexually propositioned you in front of your mother home for Christmas?"

Luke laughed. "That's where your mind goes?"

Penelope shrugged. "Logistically, I can't imagine sitting in front of someone's mother when they've heard me say dirty things. I mean, yeah, sure, if it was an accident, I've obviously been embarrassed one too many times, but I think it's forgivable if it's unintentional."

"I see your point," he conceded with a laugh. "So what are you all doing tomorrow?"

"Nothing that I know of. They made some plans for the weekend I leave, but, as far as I know, it's another day at the house." She shrugged. "Do you want to come over?" she asked before she realized it. "Not that you have to, or that you don't already have plans, and you already came to see me here, so it's like how much do you need to see the people you work with? I mean really." She blinked a few times.

He silently chuckled again, opening his mouth wide, playfully rolling his eyes at her. "I have no plans. I'd love to come over, Chica."

"Okay." She lifted her shoulders as she turned her lips in, trying not to grin like a wild banshee.

"When should I come over?" he asked her, opening his fingers and sliding his palm across hers.

"Whenever. Mom gets up at seven thirty to shower before she has her toast promptly at eight. Dad gets up at six on the dot because I don't know why. He's nuts. He reads, and then he eats, and then he, I don't know, stares out the window? The boys all sleep in when they're allowed to, and they've all been staying at the house instead of their apartments, for the two of them that have them I should say." She rolled her eyes.

"Okay, and what time are you getting up?" he asked.

"Umm, early, I guess. I woke up at six thirty when I heard Dad curse the kitchen chairs for running into his foot." She shrugged. "You can come for breakfast if you want, which is at eight fifteen, right after Mom has her toast. Or maybe you think that's weird. Why would you come over for breakfast? You could come for dinner like a normal person. Ugh, I'm so weird." She stared at the fountain, hoping the water would calm her.

"Yeah, but then I wouldn't get to see you until dinner. If I come for breakfast, then I get to see you all day," he countered her observation.

She giggled. "That is the logical observation, yes."

"Are you sure your family would want me to come over though? All day?"

"It's not like we can't leave. Mom's not saving chairs at home." They both chuckled. "But didn't you see them fawn over you? Do they seem like the bunch that would be put out by a guest? In fact, get ready for them to not care at all, and give up any semblance of manners."

"You mean they haven't done that already?"

"No, we're in public, where they behave." She raised her eyes at him. "Plus, Mom was trying to get me to make you stay with us until I leave." He raised an eyebrow in question. "When they found out you were in Mexico, she thought that maybe after your project was over you could extend your vacation and stay with us, but obviously I told her that was ridiculous. Just because you were in the same country didn't mean you were close by. Of course, now I know that I'm completely wrong."

He laughed. "I can do that, but I'll leave that up to you. I've only got another week on the project. We should be done by next Friday. You can let me know before then."

She turned to him, befuddled at why that would be solely up to her. He could just accept her mother's invitation. "Hey, Lovebirds, are you done yet? Git decided to drink the rest of the beer in the bar, and now we gotta take that asshole home." Santi was walking towards them even though he'd yelled from across the walkaway.

"Oh my God, Santi! Fine, we're coming." Penelope's annoyed voice shouted back. She turned back to Luke. "You sure you want to do this all over again tomorrow?"

"I'd do anything with you." He smiled at her as her stunned eyes came up to meet his.

"Seriously," Santi was now snapping his fingers very near to their faces. "Let's go."

Penelope had never been more angry in her life. She wanted a moment to decipher what the hell the prettiest man she'd ever seen had just said to her, and here was her annoying brother inconveniently asking to die. She slapped at Santi's hand and then stood up pinching his arm in the process. "I could not hate you more if I tried." She slapped at his chest.

"You sure you want to date her? She's so violent." Santi grabbed her arms pinning them to her sides as he spoke to Luke.

"Oh my God, Santi! Shut up! Let's go, so I can tell Mom what an ass you are." She was wiggling out of his grasp.

"What about Luke? Is he coming with us?"

"To do what? He has a car and a place to stay, and he doesn't need to help carry Git inside while he sings his favorite Celine Dion song." Penelope followed Santi, who had started back towards Isabelle's.

"Okay, whatever, Sis. Just asking. Mom told me to find out and to tell you he probably has to sleep in Marcos' room because there is no baby-making under her roof."

Penelope pushed him forward, but he was half a foot taller than her and much broader, so his shoulder barely moved. "He's coming over tomorrow for breakfast."

Santi turned back to see Luke walking right next to Penelope, trying to contain his laughter. "Man, you get breakfast afterwards? They always just kick me out before their husbands get home." He faced forward again. "I assume that was code for he was sneaking in your room, and then you were going to pretend he came over for breakfast."

"Oh my God!" Penelope squealed.

"Oh my God!" Santi said at the same time in a high pitched voice, anticipating her words.

"Santi, he is coming over tomorrow after going back to his place tonight. Please stop!" They were approaching the rest of the family, who was already in the street walking towards them. Juan and Marcos were holding Git up at either side. "Honestly, how much beer do you have to consume in order to get that body drunk?"

"Hey, hey, hey," was Git's stellar comeback. He pushed off from his two brothers to get close to her. "I love you so much." He grabbed Penelope in a bear hug.

"Eww, gross! You smell like you were marinating in a beer factory." She tried to push him off, but all he did was move an arm to grab Luke into the hug as well.

Git pulled away running a hand down each of their faces as he did so. "Ahh, you're both so pretty."

"We need to go. Now," Penelope said sternly as Luke laughed and brought his hand to his stomach.

"Are you coming to stay? I'm sure our house is more comfy than whatever they make you stay in down here," Flora spoke to Luke.

"I'm sure you're right, but not today. Brian gave me the truck for tonight. I need to get the keys back to him so he can do a store run tomorrow."

"He's coming over for breakfast in the morning though," Santi said giving him a wink.

"He really is coming over in the morning," Penelope said with her hand on her hip.

"Then that means I interrupted your good night kiss so-" He gestured to the two of them, to which Penelope just opened her eyes wide enough for her eyeballs to fall out. "Oh, sorry, you want us to turn around?" Santi turned followed by Marcos and Juan.

Arturo laughed, turning around too. "Just a quick one. I don't want to hear any lip smacking."

Git was drunkenly smiling with his hands in his pockets. Juan noticed and grabbed him, trying to spin him, watching him go the wrong way, and facing sideways before he finally got him to turn fully.

Penelope was open-mouthed staring at the backs of five of the dumbest heads she had ever seen. Flora shrugged, before Marcos grabbed her by the shoulders, spinning the smaller woman. "Are you done yet because I don't think Git will make it much longer." Marcos half turned to see out of his peripheral vision. "Penelope, he's over there," he scolded her as he saw her staring at him rather than at Luke who was smiling wildly at the scene in front of him.

"Oh my God! I'm leaving without you." She hollered at the people in front of her, not even chancing a look at Luke, afraid her face was bright red either from frustration or embarrassment, and she wasn't sure the frustration was towards the others as much as it was because she wanted to kiss him very badly indeed.

"Okay, okay, okay," Juan said as they all turned. "Let's go everyone. Clearly Penelope is playing hard to get tonight. Sorry, man." He spoke the last words to Luke.

"Oh my God! Dad!" She pleaded with the older man, hoping he would use his wisdom to make this all stop happening.

"Okay, okay, boys, let's go." He nodded at Luke. "See you tomorrow, no need to call me before then." He tapped Luke on the shoulder before grabbing his wife's hand.

Flora stopped next to Luke reaching up to bring his head down and kissing his cheek. "Breakfast will be ready around eight thirty. I'm going to be a little slow because I had a margarita tonight."

"You got further with Mom tonight than Pennita. Tough loss, homie," Marcos said following his parents away.

Juan and Santi got on either side of Git, helping him along because a tumble from him would be like a tree getting bulldozed in the forest. Penelope watched them pass. "I am so sorry about them. Refer to my earlier description of them being idiots," she reminded Luke.

Luke's wide grin had not left his face. "I have not laughed this much in a long time. No need to apologize to me." He stepped closer to her, grabbing her in a hug that she returned wholeheartedly. She took a deep breath, inhaling his scent as she did, letting out a contented sigh. Luke leaned down and placed a kiss to her hair. "I'll see you in about nine hours then." He rubbed his chin against her forehead.

"That seems like a long time," she murmured. "Why is that, if we just went a week without seeing each other?" she asked quietly.

"I - I don't know." He felt the same way.

"Oh my God! are you going to make out or not?" She heard the loud voice coming from the direction that her family had gone.

Both of them pulled away from each other. She turned an evil eye towards their retreating forms, before glancing to Luke. "Okay, see you in nine hours."

He nodded at the group that had left, not knowing if they were watching as he kept his eyes on Penelope. "Okay, have a good night. Dream about me, eh?" he said letting his fingers leave her arms finally.

Without thinking, she spoke, "As if I could stop." She caught herself. "Okay goodnight." She quickly turned and hastily followed the people whose murders she was plotting, letting her mind wander as far away from the man whose scent now filled her lungs.

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A couple of us are in a Garvez discussion group on Twitter, so if anyone wants to be a part of that please let me know.

Thanks, as always, for any and all reviews, favs, and follows!


	10. Chapter 10

I'm sure most of you have read my note on Cash chapter 15 so I won't post it again so quickly unless it seems there is a need to. Weird lazy day and I have a headache so I'm posting this a little later than I wanted but I know you all want this update and I understand! Thank you for all the support in the many different ways you've given it.

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Penelope woke up to her alarm. She was about to let out a cranky groan until she remembered in under an hour he would be here. Instead of hitting the snooze on her phone, she whipped the covers off of her and put her feet on the floor, rushing to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

After her shower, as she was curling her hair, she jumped at the loud thud on the door. "Sis, I've got to pee." Git's annoying voice rang in her ears.

"Go use Mom and Dad's," she instructed him.

"Dad's in there having a nice morning poop." A few moments later, he banged on the door again.

It scared her, and the curling iron hit her neck, and she yelped as soon as she felt the contact. "Gah! Stupid jerk." She wasn't sure if she was yelling at her brother or at the curling iron. She set it down, to inspect her neck as she jumped once more when the door opened. "What are you doing?" She screamed as she continued to inspect her burn.

"Peeing," he said to her as if she was the dumbest person in the world. He started pulling down his boxer shorts, and she ran out, slamming the bathroom door behind her.

She groaned and then headed to the kitchen, "Mom, Git burned me," she whined, holding her fingers to her neck to indicate the mark.

"Oh pobrecita, here let me get you some cream." Flora walked to the cabinet just near the hallway and pulled out a bag. She rifled through it, picking up a small tube. She washed her hands and then put the aloe vera on Penelope's skin. "Better?"

Penelope felt the relief of the cream immediately and nodded. "Yes, thank you. You need help?" She indicated the toast that was being buttered.

"Sure, mija, can you get out the fruit so I can slice it for you?" Penelope followed her instruction, grabbing the various fruits from the counter and fridge.

"You look very pretty. Luke will not be able to look away from you." Flora raised her eyebrow conspiratorially at her.

"That's not what I did it fo-" She stopped herself mid-lie. She'd revealed so much to her mother not two days ago. There was no point. "He said he liked my hair up, and it's so warm here in the summer anyway." Penelope twirled the curls in her ponytail.

"You do look nice with your hair back. It gives you a longer neck, and, since you always have your boobs out, it frames the top half of your body differently." Flora was bringing the knife down over and over on the strawberries she had in front of her.

Penelope stopped buttering the bread. "Mom, I don't always have my boobs out."

"Oh Honey, yes you do. Maybe not at work, I don't know, but everywhere else, yes. All of your tank tops are barely there. I've never seen a tshirt you didn't cut down the middle, and all of your dresses are low cut, not a high neck in the bunch. Do you wear high collars at work?" She never tore her eyes from her task as she spoke.

Penelope shifted her weight from foot to foot as she attempted to think of a protest or example to counter the remarks but she couldn't. "Well, I've got 'em." She shrugged.

"You do, and that Luke likes them. I caught him looking down your dress when you were refilling your water glass."

"What? Really? No, he doesn't do stuff like that." Penelope was hopeful and then immediately talked herself out of it.

"I believe you because he didn't look at any of the waitresses or dancers at all. Even when they were trying to make him. But you, he looked."

Penelope felt a smile crawl across her face. "Well I - you know what he said to me yesterday? He told me to dream of him. Is that weird? What does that mean?"

"It probably means that he already dreams of you, and, by dream of you, I mean he thinks about you when he-" Flora let her hand flip over and waved the knife a couple times.

"Oh my God! Mom! I can't believe you. You're supposed to be the good one."

"Hmm hmm, and so are you, but you've thought about being very bad with him." She set the knife down, going to the cabinet for a bigger bowl. "That's why those are so far out today." She pointed at Penelope's dress, the low dip went down between her breasts, the two small triangle shapes covering just enough of her to not be completely indecent for family breakfast and the thin, partially see-through, flowy cardigan on top doing nothing but giving a little mystery to the skin underneath.

"That's definitely why those are out." Santi picked up a slice of strawberry from over Penelope's shoulder.

She had jumped when she heard his voice right next to her. "Are you all trying to give me a heart attack?"

Santi kissed her cheek before moving around the island to sit on the stool. "Don't change the subject. Those spaghetti straps are working overtime to hold those up." He pointed at her chest with another slice of strawberry.

"Is anyone in this family appropriate? Are there any boundaries?"

" _You're_ asking about appropriate boundaries?" Santi said to her in disbelief before breaking into maniacal laughter.

"What boundaries?" Marcos asked as he came into the room followed by Git and Arturo.

"Sis has her boobs out for Luke," Santi said instead of explaining.

"They're always out," Git said.

"Oh my God!" Penelope hollered. "My boobs should not be the topic of conversation in this family, ever."

"Then maybe you should put them away." Juan's voice made her look to the living room where she saw a smirking Luke, standing behind a sweaty Juan, just back from a run she assumed. "I let him inside, but I wouldn't have if I'd known you were still getting dressed." Juan pulled his headphones from around his neck, tipping his chin at her dress.

She gripped the knife harder in her hand, "Oh my God!" Five voices exclaimed in unison, only one of them hers. She slammed the butter knife down as she stared at the four people who called her sister.

"That's not a dress; that's pajamas," Arturo announced, mystified.

"No, Art, that's one of the dresses we bought the other day." Flora's back was turned to the rest of them, but she winked at Penelope, who was still next to her leaning against the counter. "I saw it, and I thought she should have it."

"You bought that dress for my daughter? To wear on purpose? During the day? In front of people?" he asked the questions to his wife's back.

"Yes, I did and plenty of other ones too. She will look nice this whole vacation, and she won't have to worry about boob sweat because they'll already be out getting the fresh air they deserve." Flora rinsed some fruit in the sink as she spoke.

Penelope couldn't help but laugh. Flora had tried to save her from the embarrassment of dressing up for Luke with an excuse but went too far. "Thanks, Mom," she said with a chuckle at the attempt.

"Boob sweat?" Juan said in disgust. "What the fuck is that?"

"Language!" Flora admonished.

"It's what's coming down your chest right now." Penelope pointed at his sweaty chest.

He stuck out his lower lip and shrugged. "Huh, never thought of that, and there always trapped in bras, even in the heat. Hmm, well you learn something new everyday." He tapped Luke on the shoulder before walking out of the room to shower.

"Luke, come in. Sit down." Arturo pointed at a chair. "Do you have any thoughts on boob sweat?"

Luke was laughing already as he took a seat. "I can't say I've thought about it too often," he replied.

"That's all we've got out in the field. Back to you, Carina." Arturo peeled a banana that he had used as a pretend microphone.

"Okay, okay, Penelope is right. We shouldn't discuss her boobs at breakfast." Flora paused. "Wait until dinner. If she changes into a push up bra, that will be cause for conversation."

"They can't come out any further than they already are." Santi spoke up. "Look at 'em."

"No, nobody should look at them," Penelope said.

"To be honest, mija, that's not the argument you should go with here," Flora pretend whispered to her.

"Oh my God! What happened to being on my side?" She watched Flora shrug, "What about Git's boobs. They're bigger than mine." She picked up the butter knife again and pointed towards the man sitting on a stool with his head down on the counter.

After a few moments of no comment from him, Marcos pushed him, causing him to almost fall off of the stool but catching himself. "Wha-what happened?" Git was wiping the drool from his face.

"Are your boobs bigger than Mariposa's?" Marcos asked.

Git yawned. "I don't know, but I can move them on their own, so I win."

"I can move mine on their own." Penelope protested before she realized what she'd said. Her eyes flew open after she uttered the words. Her eyes shot to Luke's, seeing what she thought was intrigue before she whirled around to continue buttering the bread.

"I make my dick move up and down on its own sometimes for fun when I'm bored," Santi said as he sipped some orange juice.

"My kids, huh? Watch out world. The Garcias are going to save us all." Arturo stuffed a piece of banana in his mouth.

Luke was trying his hardest not to laugh too loudly, realizing how much his face would hurt if he were around these people all the time. He thought Penelope was the only one who could make him laugh so much, but now he found six other people to add to that list.

"Mijo, don't say 'dick' when we're about to eat," Flora told him.

"I'm sorry, Mom. Is that not as proper as boob sweat?" He put his hand on his chest, dramatically taking in a large breath.

Juan returned. His hair wet and dripping down to his fresh shirt. Flora turned and started passing out dishes and trays of food. Everyone started piling stuff on their plates and eating where they were. Luke and Arturo were the only ones at the actual table. The brothers were at the counter. Penelope got her plate. She grabbed a water bottle and came to the table to sit next to Luke. "Good morning," she muttered.

"Good morning."

"Do you regret coming over here yet?" she quizzed.

"Not even a little bit." He gave her a shy smile, which she returned in kind.

She was eternally grateful that the boys had all decided to pick on a very hungover Git, leaving her with just Luke, Arturo, and a newly seated Flora. "So Luke, did Penelope tell you that we'd like you to stay after you're done helping down at the school?"

"Yes, she mentioned. I told her it was up to her."

"Oh good, so you're staying," Arturo spoke. "You'll have to share with Juan, unless Git or Santiago go to their own places." He shoved a forkful of eggs in his mouth before reaching for the hot sauce and dumping it over his entire plate.

"Dad, maybe ease up on the sodium intake," Penelope said before turning to Luke. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to, really."

"Oh please, she wants you to stay, and you want to stay. Let's not play this game," Juan came over, picking up the bottle of hot sauce before traveling back to the counter.

Penelope put one elbow on the table as she put her hand on her forehead. "You can stay here now if you want, but I don't know if you need to be close to the school," Flora said to him.

"It doesn't matter. It's only a thirty minute drive. I commute further to work." He shrugged. He very much wanted to stay close to Penelope, but he wasn't sure if he'd be torturing himself if he wasn't allowed near her bedroom. But then again the torture would probably be worth it. "Uh, I think we're going to be done by Friday anyway."

"Good, so you can stay here. Can you keep borrowing your friend's truck, or do you need a car?" Flora asked.

"Brian has a car here too. Most of the others ride in his truck or the van. They gave me the car so I'd be able to do runs to town. Since I speak Spanish, he thought it would eliminate any problems. I'll be giving it back when we're done though."

"No matter, we have a few trucks for the business. You can take one if you and La Reina want to go somewhere after next week," Arturo said.

"You can change your flight so you go home together?" Flora asked.

The two of them peered at each other shyly. "Yeah, I'm sure it will be easy enough," Penelope answered the question.

"Well, that's settled then. Eat up. We have work to do," Art spoke to Luke.

"Dad, no," Penelope protested. "Don't do this."

"What? I have to see what the boy can do. Don't worry. We're just building a cabinet set for mi chiquita's room. It'll be fine."

"Dad, he has on jeans and a button up, not an old shirt," Penelope said.

"Actually, I've got my bag in the car. It's better to keep your stuff with you. The workers at the rental property know when we come and go, so we don't leave anything we don't need to." It was only a partial fib. He'd left his clothes the first couple days but threw all his other stuff in his bag. But this time he stuffed all his things in his duffel, just in case he'd be asked to stay the weekend. He didn't want to have to leave Penelope when he didn't have to. He smiled at her quizzical look before tucking into his food, hoping no one in this straightforward family decided to call him on it.


	11. Chapter 11

I'm in a lot of pain tonight. I go to a new specialist tomorrow so who knows what's going to happen. No comments, except thanks, everyone and I'm sorry if I haven't gotten back to you on something, everything is a still a little hectic right now.

* * *

"Luke, bring that piece over here," Arturo instructed him. He'd changed after breakfast into a some running shorts and a t-shirt. He lifted a piece of wood that he assumed would be the back to the vanity that was so meticulously written and drawn on multiple pieces of paper.

"This is going to be quite big," Luke said as he set the wood down near the power saw.

"Yes, we're cutting this a little bit, but it's going to go against her wall and take up the whole side of the room." Arturo was concentrating on putting some tools back together that had broken.

"She must be excited." Luke picked up a piece of sandpaper, sitting on a step stool he started taking off some of the rough edges.

"Ay, who knows? I showed her the plans as soon as she got here, and she said that I didn't need to bother. Then the boys started arguing about who got the top bunk, and she said that we should just turn her room into one of theirs. She still thinks this isn't her house too." Arturo was still working on the project in his hands, but the frustration with his daughter was evident in his voice.

"I understand. I think she's just scared of something happening and getting rejected." Luke continued to round out the corner of the wood.

"Si, pero she knows better than that. I know she does. She knows Git is Git. He's the dumbest one we made." Arturo turned to Luke when he laughed. "Well, maybe Marcos. But she's still hurting, and I want her to stop hiding from us, from everything."

Luke nodded. "I know exactly what you mean." He understood that frustration well.

Arturo smiled. "So, she is playing some hard to get game with you?"

Luke smiled. "No. I don't know. I don't think it's a game. I think she doesn't believe me when I make time for her or try to be around her. Don't get me wrong. I haven't blatantly asked her out, but I was trying to ease into it. We work together, and the people we work with are nosy, and it's their job to know what a person would do before they do it. She deserves some privacy."

"Hmm...so how long did you give yourself to ease into it?" Arturo turned around and sat on a bench as he screwed a handle on a drawer.

"Honestly? My time was up a year ago." Both men laughed. "She wasn't all that keen on getting to know me at first, so I wanted to give her time, and I figured it was better if we knew each other, really knew each other. Especially with our job, I needed to be sure of how I felt. I liked her, but as time went on I liked her more, and it started to mean something. I keep wondering where the window of opportunity is, maybe it passed already. There's a point where you have to make it clear, and I didn't want to scare her away, and I thought I might." He turned to look at Arturo. "Now I know I'm not crazy for thinking that."

Arturo nodded, his eyes flicking up to Luke before grabbing another screw. "You're not. She really loves us, and that means we can hurt her, so she keeps us at a distance. I don't think it's much different for you. The more you could mean to her, the worse it could hurt. She's not stupid."

Luke tried to contain his goofy grin at the idea that she cared so much for him. "I don't even know if she believes that I like her. She's very sure of herself most of the time, but she has this idea that I'm one of those guys that - I don't know, it's like she doesn't believe that I really like her. I honestly think she thinks she's not good enough for me somehow, and that's utterly ridiculous." Luke stopped sanding, sitting back for a moment to shake himself before continuing on with his work.

"Yes, I know what you mean. She's so bright and vibrant and sure in so many ways until it comes to feeling like she belongs, like she's worthy of time and attention. I wonder sometimes if that doesn't have to do with us. Maybe I could have fought harder to not let her leave. Maybe I could've found some other way to get her. Maybe I should've gone to the police, turned her and her boyfriend in, and then at least she would know I wasn't letting her walk away." Arturo roughly set the drawer down to grab another.

"You couldn't have known. You did the only thing you knew how, try to keep her close. She just knew how to run faster. Did you know what she was getting herself into?"

"Not exactly. Sometimes she'd tell us things, so we thought she was okay. If she felt so bad that she needed to confess, we thought she was sort of self-correcting, but, as time went on, and Shane was convincing her that she needed to do these things, we knew it was more. Santi was the one that came to tell us that it was worse than we thought."

"She doesn't seem like the type to let a guy get her in trouble."

"She isn't, but her parents hadn't died long before that. We gave her a lot of what she needed, but we couldn't give her time. That's the thing. You can't make time stop, but you also can't speed it up. She was a teenager when she came to be with us. She was probably already going to date some dumb guy in college but being so vulnerable made her pliable. We could only do so much. I like to think we kept her from really - she didn't end up in prison, she didn't stop being a good person. I hope that had something to do with us."

Luke turned around to look at the man whose eyes were sad. "It did. It does. She's who she is because of you. I'm sure her biological parents were wonderful, but her humor and good intentions, her ability to welcome people like family and take care of them and make them her own, that's what you taught her." Luke was very serious as he spoke to the older man.

Arturo nodded at him. "She's my baby, even if she doesn't think she is. I love her, and she deserves to belong."

"She does." Luke continued sanding, quietly contemplating for a few moments. "You know I don't know why I haven't done anything. I always feel like I'm waiting for the team to not be around, to be alone with her for a while, to convince her that she means something to me. It's just so hard with how much we work, and everyone always being around. I don't want to embarrass her or myself, and I don't want anyone telling her what I feel or think before I do, and that's what would happen back home. This five weeks, I was looking forward to it because I was going to get her to go out when she got back. I was going to get her alone and let her see me for what I am, but I don't know what would happen after that."

"Ah, I see." Arturo was smiling as he used his screwdriver. "You are in love."

Luke spun around again, unsure and shocked at what this man just said to him. "I think I love her, but it's because we're all so close, I - there's no way I'm in love with someone I've never even kissed." Luke's brow was furrowed as he thought about it.

"Love is only intensified by physical acts. It is not defined by them." Arturo's words made Luke sit back, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"I'm not sure she thinks of me the same way." He sat forward again, slowly picking at the potential splinters in the wood. "I know she flirts and enjoys my company, but her exes, they seem to only have been in her life for comfort or to pass the time, and I don't want that to be me. I'd rather be her friend that doesn't get pushed away, than her boyfriend that she has to leave behind when it's not fun anymore."

"I can tell you one thing. You're wrong. She thinks of you the same way. She pushed you away because she knows that she'd feel the same way she felt with us, alone and broken, if you didn't reciprocate. It's easy for her to pull others close when she knows she has a way out, or some way to replace them. You're irreplaceable just like we are, so you're going to have to hold her down and make her listen just like the rest of us. Metaphorically, and occasionally, physically when she's being a brat." Arturo finished putting the handle on the last drawer and then brought it closer to where Luke was sitting.

"If we both feel this way already, why hasn't anything happened?" Luke was more asking the question out loud to the universe rather than directly to Arturo.

"If you expect her to take that risk, then you're out of your mind. And by the sounds of it, you've been playing it safe too, so what did you think was going to happen?" Arturo set the drawers near the skeleton of the vanity before handing Luke the can of wood stain for the back he was sanding.

Luke was half surprised at himself. He thought he was more observant than this, but Arturo was right. What had he done but make excuses about work and time? He liked that he knew her so well and for so long. Nothing but time could have given him that gift, but it'd been long enough, and now he had to-

"Shit or get off the pot, mijo. You have no other choices," Arturo interrupted his train of thought.

Luke laughed. "I'm going to be very busy over the next couple of weeks."

"Yeah, yeah, just no getting busy under my roof. Something's not right about my kids doing that in the place they grew up."

"I thought you moved here just a few years ago?"

"Well, yeah, but it's the principal of the thing." Arturo waved him off.

….

A couple hours later all the cabinets had been put together, and they were just waiting for the wood stain to dry before adding the final touches, like the mirror and the design Juan had sketched out.

Luke and Arturo walked into the house from the shed, both taking off their shoes upon entering. "You can take a shower in that bathroom there." Arturo pointed down the hall. Luke had grabbed his bag earlier in order to change, but it wasn't in the entryway where he left it. He walked down the hall, passing the first bedroom and seeing Penelope laying face down on her bed, a book only inches from her face.

"If you put your glasses back on, I bet you could hold that more than an inch from your face." He leaned on the doorway, as he watched her squint at him.

"I wanted to lay on my tummy, but then the book was too close, so I solved the problem." She smiled at Luke, or the blurry blob she assumed was Luke.

"I was going to take a shower. We'll finish another day. Do you know where my bag is?"

"It's in Juan's room. I guess that's where they decided you'll stay." She shrugged at him as she swung her legs back and forth behind her. She put her elbows on the bed and rested her chin in her hands. "Did you want to do something today? You know, besides build me things for a room I never use."

He didn't answer her, so she squinted at him, not really seeing his face as she did, only seeing the outline of it. "Uh, yeah." He cleared his throat. "Whatever you want. Somewhere you want to go?"

She tilted her head at his odd voice. "We don't have to if you're tired."

"Uh no, no, we should do something. Does your family mind us going alone, or should we find a group outing." His voice was now soft, which she found odd.

"No, we can go alone, but we have to eat dinner here. Mom is making something special for you, or so she says. It's probably one of her regular dishes, but she'll say it's for you, to raise your self esteem." She waited for his chuckle which never came. "Luke, are you okay?"

"Uh yeah, I'm fine. So fine. I'm going to take that shower. I'll be ready in twenty minutes. If you can think of somewhere, we can go before dinner. If not, I guess we can just wander for a while until then." His voice was still low. She tried to squint a little more, but she nodded until she saw his blurry form move away from the door. She shrugged and swung her legs off the bed, going to grab her glasses and to check her hair and makeup.

Luke walked down the hall, not knowing exactly which room was Juan's, but hoping to find one of the many people in the house to guide him in the right direction. Before he got to the next open doorway, he stilled himself, trying to calm his arousal that had become apparent from his blatant and unapologetic appraisal of her chest. The dress already covered so very little as the family had discussed in detail that morning, but with her laying on her stomach and then propping up her elbows like she did, the small triangles dipped low and the abundant cleavage she had pushed together. He was glad she didn't have her glasses on because, if she had, she would not only have been disgusted by his inability to look away but also by his immediate physical reaction he couldn't have hidden. He'd tipped his head up trying to look even further down her dress which he knew was wrong, but he couldn't help it. He had no idea how her nipples weren't out. He was attempting to comprehend the massive amount of cleavage she must have in order for him to see the full roundness of her breasts but still not see anything more. It was mind boggling.

He turned when he heard a throat clear, "Are you looking for your bag?" Juan asked as he eyed the man in front of him with a sly smile.

Luke turned to him. "Uh yeah, yup."

Juan laughed at him. "Did my sister just try and lick the sweat off your neck or something? Because you, my friend, are going to need a minute." Juan led him to the furthest room on the right of the long hall.

Luke laughed. There were no secrets in this family. "Something like that."

Juan nodded and then headed towards the front room, leaving Luke to grab his stuff and head to the bathroom. He got in the shower, still with a raging erection, which he refused to take care of in the bathroom of a family that was welcoming him with open arms as long as he didn't touch their daughter in their house. It seemed too on the nose to have to do that while thinking of her under their roof.

He brought himself under control and dressed quickly before finding her in her room again, standing in front of a mirror as she turned around to examine the hem of her dress. She had her glasses back on and saw him in the mirror. "Is this dress too short to wear out?" she asked as she twirled again trying to get a look at the back where it hit her mid-thigh.

"I've almost seen your entire chest because of that dress, and you're worried if it's too short?" He chuckled at her as he stared at where the fabric met her legs.

She whirled around, making him look to her face. "What? You have? Is it that bad?" She put her palms up to the heavy underside of both her breasts before looking back in the mirror again, trying to see how much of her was really out. "I see them everyday, and from up top it looks the same." She put her chin down to look straight through the opening.

"From your angle, it might not look different, but from mine, it's - it's, yeah, it's different. Very good, but I'm very aware of them." He adjusted himself again, pulling his jeans at the middle as he observed her.

"Oh no! I should change. I shouldn't have - I'm so sorry." She was horrified. She thought she was showing a decent amount of skin, not too much.

"Oh no, no, do not change. That's a terrible idea. The worst idea. Don't do that." He cleared his throat. His tongue pressed to the front of his teeth as his eyes wandered up her legs to her chest again.

She squinted at him. "So it's not too short?"

"It's short, but I wouldn't mind it being much much shorter, so I'm going to say no." He was staring at the front of her legs, now seeing the dress hit what might be close to her upper thigh when she walked. The heels she was wearing, making it very difficult to not think of her legs wrapped around him as he-

"Okay, uh, I guess I'm ready then." She had hidden her huge smile and red cheeks as she went to her closet to grab a purse, putting it over her body, the strap sitting in the middle of her chest. She turned around walking towards the doorway where he'd stayed not setting a foot in her room. "They won't get mad at you for being in here as long as the door isn't closed." She softly giggled at him.

"Nuh uh, I'm not breaking any rules." She shrugged and walked past him as he backed into the hallway to let her through. "Besides, if I stepped inside, I'd barricade you in." He'd mumbled the last part.

She thought she'd heard a few of his words, but she wasn't sure. She turned her head to him, "What?"

He plastered on an innocent face. "Nothing." She squinted at him, not believing him, but she huffed and continued on the journey forward.


	12. Chapter 12

Hey, so today was spent in bed. I had a bad day. But I turned on the laptop and here we are. That's how much I love you all. Also, I have yet to go check and see if the plagiarism has been changed but mentally I didn't want to have to deal with it this week. So, reminder, don't steal things. And also, so glad for everyone's support.

* * *

"So where are we going?" Luke asked her as he drove away from the house.

"With the short afternoon we have left, thanks to my family, we can either do the wall of murals or walk the Melacon. Any preferences?" She had put on her prescription sunglasses and was looking at him as he drove.

"I've been to neither of them. We can do whichever one we don't do today another day. What's closest?"

"Melacon, I think."

"Okay, let's do that. I'm not going to be late for dinner my first night." He gave her a wide grin.

"You don't need to worry about them. They are the most laid back people in the world about stuff like that. Everyone's welcome; everyone's family." She was using her phone, making sure she had the right directions.

"Your dresser set and vanity are going to look really nice in your room," Luke informed her.

"I don't know why they're doing that. I'm never here."

"Maybe so that you'll choose to be here more," he suggested.

"Yeah, well..." She shrugged. "They gave me my own room down here when I already had not lived with them for years."

"Because you're their daughter. You have a place with them, even if you physically choose not to use it."

"It just didn't make sense. The few times I went back to California, they left my room exactly as it was, except Mom would change the sheets a lot, but, when they moved down here, they didn't need to pretend anymore."

"They're not pretending. You should come down to see them more. They don't give you your own room in their house to make you believe something. They do it because you're part of what they have here."

Penelope knew he was right, but she gazed out the window quietly. "I can't just pick up and come down here all the time."

"You can't, and that's okay. Like any other kid that's grown up and moved away, but you can still come down." He paused to look over at her biting her lip before turning his eyes back to the road. "I'll come with you."

She turned to him. "You will?"

"Of course, you don't have to be alone if you don't want to be." His statement was about both him and the people that desperately wanted her to come home to them.

"Just turn up here." She pointed to the next road where they could park. He found a spot, exited his door, and got to her side before she'd gotten completely out. He put his hand out to her to help her the rest of the way. He shut the door with the other hand, firmly keeping her hand in his as they made their way to the path.

She wondered if he was holding her hand this much because she was in Mexico, and this way they wouldn't mess with the gringa or if he felt a lot more free to act like friends when they weren't in a work situation. Then again her friends rarely held her hand, except when her and Emily would drunkenly walk to the bathroom at the bar when they finally had too many drinks, and they needed to pee. She didn't understand him. That was the one thing she knew for sure.

"So, why is Guermillo called Git and not just Memo?" Luke asked as they strolled along the pathway.

Penelope laughed. "You've met him, right?" Luke laughed too. "Actually it was because he used to love Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Spike would always call Xander a Git. It was funny because Git sort of acts like Xander - kinda dumb, good heart, but very slow on the uptake."

Luke chuckled, shaking his head. "Okay, there is nothing I've learned so far that hasn't made me laugh or taught me something."

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." She glanced to her side, taking in their still clasped hands. "Hey thanks for being here and dealing with this. I'm sort of glad you're here. I almost can't imagine this whole trip without you now."

His smile was huge as he replied, "I'm so glad that the universe decided to throw us together, Chica. I was thinking I'd have to be away from you for another two and half weeks until you told me where you were."

"Yeah, hey, how come you didn't just tell me then?"

"You mentioned the family outing. I thought it would be a fun surprise. Don't get me wrong, I questioned myself multiple times. I thought I should give you the option, but I figured if anything I could say hi and then leave." He was slightly embarrassed about his plan.

"No, no, it was great. It's the kind of stuff that happens in Hallmark movies." She realized what a dork she was, and then she realized that sounded like she was painting the move as romantic. "Not that-uh-that-this is like a movie or something." She widened her eyes and stared at the sidewalk in front of her.

He shook his head at her. He was holding her hand as they strolled along a romantic waterfront where there were plenty of lovers holding hands, wandering through tiny shops and eating at the candlelit restaurants, and she still didn't understand. Unless she truly wasn't interested in him, there was no reason for her to doubt he was trying to take her on some kind of date here. He saw the sign above the walkway out onto the water, and he pulled her towards it. "Come on. We have to watch the water."

They strolled out over the walkway, towards the end. He pulled her to the side to take in the view over the railing. "This place is so pretty. I've come by here a few times but never out here." She indicated the path that diverted from the main path.

"Good, you shouldn't come here without me."

She laughed. "Okay, Bossy Pants, and why is that?"

"Didn't you read the sign? It's the Rinconcito De Amor, duh," he said to her. She knew a few words in Spanish. She should get the idea.

She scrunched her face at him. "What does it mean? Something of love?" She was trying to sort it out, but she knew French, not Spanish, which was arguably the wrong language to pick up considering her life.

He laughed as he turned to her, leaning against the railing. She mimicked his movements and was facing him, waiting for his explanation. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Do you mind if I just show you?"

She tilted her head in confusion but blinked at him waiting for him to do so. He brought their clasped hands up, setting hers on his waist, and then put both of his hands on the side of her face to tilt her head towards him as he slowly lowered his lips to hers. He had done so cautiously, but not hesitantly, only giving her a moment to protest if she wanted, but, as soon as he saw her eyes close, he let his fingers trail to the back of her head, holding her to himself. He tasted the hint of her strawberry flavored chapstick she'd put on while they drove. Her signature lipstick was nowhere to be found in the heat of the summer. His lips moved over hers, slowly capturing her bottom lip and then the top and then the bottom again, trying to taste all of her at once. He felt like he'd waited a long time to know what her mouth felt like, and he'd thought about it more often than he even knew. All the memories of her lips came flooding into his mind, images of different times he'd watched her talk or watched her tap her pencil to the side of her mouth. This kiss was a long time coming, and he finally had her lips on his. She let out the tiniest moan as he continued to kiss her slowly, which made him take a breath, inhaling everything about her as he did so. He got to the point where he was going to use his tongue to part her lips, but he decided not to do that just yet. He wanted to, but he wanted her to know that his kiss was intentional, that he meant what he did and that he was not caught up in any moment of passion where he wanted to make out with someone while on vacation in a beautiful town in Mexico. This was about her. He pulled away slowly, letting his eyes open, watching her face as she opened hers, and seeing her sight drop to his lips before coming back to his eyes. His eyes were smiling, but he was still waiting to gauge her reaction before throwing a celebration of any kind.

Her mind was trying to comprehend what had just happened. She saw his lips coming toward her own, she saw his eyes lower in lust, and she felt the wet kiss hit her lips. She knew that he was the best thing she'd ever tasted and that she wanted to do it over and over again. What she didn't understand was how the man that she saw everyday at work that was sort of her friend, sort of her family, and sort of still the new guy was standing here looking at her like she was somebody to him. "Uh what was - did you give me some language interpretation with your lips?" Her eyes darted to his full pink lips again before she returned to his eyes, searching for an answer to her question.

"Maybe I'm not as good of a teacher as I thought," he said shyly.

"So… maybe you should show me again, just to be sure." She'd let her hand fall to his hip during the kiss where she'd left it. His eyes ducked down to see her fingers move slightly against the muscle just above it before recapturing her lips, and this time letting his tongue lick just inside of her mouth. She felt it, and it almost tickled, but it made her want more of his kiss. She felt his hand return to the back of her neck, keeping her mouth exactly where he wanted it, which turned her on. She'd let him tell her what to do anytime he wanted if he promised to kiss her like this forever. After a few more moments she pushed on his hip, taking a deep breath as she looked down to the ground. "I _might_ understand now."

He smiled but caught his lip between his teeth to keep from chuckling at her. His eyes went side to side rapidly as he waited for her to say or do something else until his mind caught up with him, and he knew that this was his part. "I want you to understand that I wanted to do that for a long time, but I didn't know how, and now that we're far away from our real everyday life, I'm glad that I got the time to just be with you for a few minutes so that I could."

He watched her shyly nod at him before straightening her shoulders to speak. "I'm very aware of who we are back home, and I'm very aware that you are Alvez, and I am Garcia, but I do feel like we are away from the place where there are expectations from other people, if that's what you mean."

"I suppose I do. All I know is that back there, I don't know if I'm just a guy on the team that you see like everybody else, but here I am the guy who helps your father build you a dresser, and I'm enjoying that more than I should say."

She gave him a smile. "Okay-" She was cut off by her phone alarm going off. She quickly pulled it from the small crossbody purse she'd put on, sliding it out of the small zipper to hit the off button. "I set an alarm so we would have enough time to get back," she explained as she re-zipped the small outer pocket.

"We better go then." He put his palm out to her. He'd let her step away from him when she'd reached to check her phone.

She touched her palm to his, letting their hands fall between them as they were side by side again before she splayed her fingers and let them fall in between his. "Luke, I'm really scared that this might be a terrible idea. When we have to leave what if- what if we're too different when we're not here?" She kept her eyes facing forward as she spoke.

He silently contemplated her fear, wondering that for himself, wondering if she'd want to date the FBI agent that was gone on cases and that pissed her off when he couldn't even print his reports correctly. He thought he was sweet to her back home too, but maybe he'd given her crap sometimes just like she had. "Honestly, Penelope, there's not a place in the world where I don't enjoy your company, but I don't know what our everyday lives look like right now. I guess I'm sort of in a haze, a cocoon where you're here with me, and I don't have to think about the consequences of that." He'd also been looking straight ahead as he spoke, wanting the answers to appear right in front of him. "Is that bad?" he asked genuinely.

Penelope had no idea. She wasn't sure she wasn't doing the same thing. She could be on vacation with Luke for her entire life and never be unsatisfied, but, when she had to be her normal everyday broken self again, she didn't know. "No, you don't have to have all the answers," she reassured him. "But you're quite rude for bringing up all the questions," she muttered as he laughed at her.

"I'm sorry about that." He gave her hand a squeeze, hoping to make her smile.

"I don't know if I am." He burst into laughter, and she followed suit. "Come on, we have to get home before we get into trouble.

"I thought you said we'd be fine."

"I lied." She winked at him as he opened her door.


	13. Chapter 13

My occipital neuralgia, one of many things currently wrong with me, flared up pretty bad the past few days so I know I have not gotten back to you on review questions or pm's please know this happens occasionally and I have to take it easier. Thanks for being here!

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Penelope walked through the door with Luke right behind her. She took off her heels at the entryway, hoping Flora hadn't seen her walk through the house in them earlier. Luke slid his shoes off as well and shut the door behind them, following her down the short hallway to the open living room.

"Shit, can we eat now? They're fucking here," Marcos whined as he saw the newcomers round the corner.

"Language!" Flora corrected as she turned around to pull the bread out of the oven that she'd been keeping warm.

"We're ten minutes late," Penelope protested.

"Yeah, and _we_ had to wait the ten minutes, not you," Santi explained.

"Are you pregnant yet?" Git asked as he stuffed a piece of chicken in his mouth that he'd stolen from the serving tray in front of him. Flora heard his muffled voice and slapped his hand, making him drop the chicken to the counter. "What? It's a good question."

"You didn't pray first." Flora indicated the abandoned chicken.

Git rolled his eyes. "So is that a no on the pregnancy thing?" he asked again.

"Not in my house," Arturo said from his spot on the recliner.

"But they were outside. That's the technicality." Juan turned around to look at Luke. "No rules are broken. The backseat of a car parked in the driveway, technically not his house."

"If I own the car, it's still my roof," Arturo countered.

"Are we eating?" Marcos asked.

"Give La Rubia extra protein. She's eating for two now." Git piled some chicken on his plate. "Wait, are you still going to be a vegetarian when you're pregnant?"

Penelope walked over to Git and slapped the back of his head. "I'm not pregnant, thank you very much."

"It's a sin still to use birth control, right?" Juan asked.

"It's a sin to have sex before marriage too. So we're all going to hell," Santi proclaimed the last part in his deepest voice. "Right mom?" He perked up as he asked.

"Yes, it's all a sin, and all of you need to go to church and repent. But with the new pope, it's all a little…" She bobbed her head side to side. "Meh. I mean it's a sin, pero it's not a sin-sin."

"But I can't eat this chicken because I haven't said Jesus words while holding my brother's hand?" Git asked.

"Jesus words?" Penelope scrunched her face at him.

"Well, whose words are they, Penelope?" He gave her an attitude as if she had no clue about life.

"Ay, sit down, everyone. Get plates. Your sister's not pregnant." Flora put a hot piece of bread on everyone's plate as they passed her. "If she was, it's not like she'd know yet."

"Ma!" Penelope exclaimed.

"What? I'm on your side." She lifted her shoulders at her.

"I don't think you know what that means, lady." Penelope pulled her plate away from the bread.

Luke stayed quiet, following Penelope to the table and sitting next to her, not touching his food until Flora said a few words, even though he saw everyone else besides Art sticking their fingers in their mashed potatoes.

"Where did you two go?" Juan asked as he stuffed his fork in his mouth.

"Malecon," Penelope answered.

"Ah yeah, did you go by the Rinconcito De Amor?" Santi asked. Luke gave a quick nod. "Nice move, I like that move."

"There were no moves. We were walking by the water because I told him about it, and I don't know what that means. Please stop," Penelope uttered harshly.

As if she hadn't spoken at all, Santi spoke. "I always take girls there. The water, especially at sunset, that's how I came up with the back of the car thing."

"Still my roof," Arturo said from his spot across the table. "And mijo, you did not come up with sex in a car." He shook his head. "That was me and your mother when we conceived you."

All four boys groaned at the same time. Penelope and Luke laughed when Flora winked back at Arturo. "We're trying to eat," Marcos protested.

"That's where you draw the line?" Penelope asked incredulously. "All the shit we talk about over food, and that's the problem?" She pointed her fork between Arturo and Flora.

"Language," Flora angrily corrected her.

Penelope rolled her eyes. "They were talking about sex in a car! You and Dad were talking about sex in a car! I can't say 'shit'?"

"No," Flora said definitively. Penelope looked at Luke who had his hand up to his face trying to control his giggle.

"So, what are the plans for tomorrow, Pájaros del Amor?" Juan asked.

Penelope glanced at him, deciphering only the word love, but nothing else. Luke answered instead, "She said something about the Village of Murals."

"That's boring. It's just weird art everywhere," Git told him as he ripped his bread in half.

"Go out on one of the boats on the water. It's nice," Juan suggested.

"Yeah, you should go to one of the beach areas of the lake. You can swim, and swim suits are basically underwear, so you're already halfway home," Git agreed.

"My God, can you stop with your shit for two seconds," Penelope scowled.

"Language."

"Meh heh." Git teased her for getting in trouble, and Flora slapped his hand, making him drop his bread. "I didn't say it."

"You should do the thermal springs or the mud baths. Those are good," Santi recommended. "Also a way to get naked." He nodded.

Penelope rolled her eyes again. "She's already pregnant. Just take her hiking. It's good to exercise for the baby," Marcos advised.

Penelope dropped her fork onto her plate, putting her head in hands. "Would you stop? You're making Luke uncomfortable."

"No we're not," Juan argued. "Right, Luke?"

Luke nodded at him, still suppressing a laugh. "I'm just fine, Chica."

Everyone froze and stared at both of them. Luke suddenly did feel uncomfortable as he wondered what they were all looking at, until a collective _aww_ came from everyone in the room except for Penelope, who took to covering her face with both hands.

"Naranja, I don't understand why you think Luke is uncomfortable?" Git asked with faux concern.

"Yes, Conejito, what could be the problem?" Santi inquired with a smirk.

"Si, Bizcocho, I don't understand either," Juan told her with a smile breaking out on his face.

"Bicho, please tell us what we might be doing to make Luke uncomfortable." Marcos sat forward with a face marred in false concern.

Penelope refused to uncover her face as she stared straight down into her lap.

"Ay, would you boys stop it? Princesa clearly does not like nicknames," Arturo falsely reprimanded the boys.

Luke was amusedly watching everyone, wondering why calling her Chica would set this off. "I'm missing something important, aren't I?" Luke questioned.

Flora nodded. "You're the only one that can call her Chica now, so the boys are being mean to her," she explained to him outright.

"Mom!" Penelope looked up finally, her face red as she shouted at her mother.

"What? I'm telling him so you don't have to. I'm on your side," she protested.

Penelope couldn't help it anymore. She started laughing. They were all so ridiculous. She could never be mad at everything they said because she would never leave her cave if she did. "Can we talk about something else, please?"

Everyone shrugged and silently ate for a minute until Marcos spoke up. "You know what isn't under Dad's roof? Those art benches down by the market. Not as uncomfortable as you might think."

Penelope scrunched her face at him. "Who are you sleeping with?"

"Well, no one lately." Marcos shrugged.

"It's a wonder she didn't come back to do it on the other park bench next," Penelope admonished him.

"I told her I couldn't have sex at my house. She didn't say no." Marcos held his hands out, wondering what the problem was.

"This is why I only date men with their own apartments," Juan explained.

"What about Miguel? He didn't even own a bicycle?" Git stuck his neck out at him.

"Yeah, well, he was… very pretty," Juan defended.

Penelope laughed and then glanced to Luke, who didn't seem surprised at all. She wondered if he'd already deduced as much about her brother with his profiling skills.

Arturo waved his fork. "Not one of you has ever brought anyone decent home until now." He pointed his fork at Luke. "Everyone of you brings dummies to my house, and I have to pretend like I don't hate them because you're sleeping with them. It's exhausting."

"I'd like to point out that Penelope didn't bring Luke home so much as he came to us, and then we made him come here," Juan told them all.

The others nodded or bopped their heads in agreement. "I'm quite happy to be here," Luke said with a smile as he put his hand on Penelope's leg under the table. She took a deep breath as he did so. He had a calming effect on her, but he also had a stimulating effect on her, and she felt like she needed both.

"See, he's happy to be here, and he's in the FBI. You boys find me someone that can even spell FBI, and I'll buy them a magnifying glass so it looks like they have a clue." Arturo frowned at all of them.

"Penelope's in the FBI, so it's not that impressive," Git said.

"Yeah, everyone remembers her goth phase. No one who thinks black lipstick is a good idea should ever be in the FBI," Juan argued.

"Oh right, the goth phase!" Luke perked up, putting both elbows on the table as he leaned forward with interest. "Are there pictures?"

The six yeses drowned out the one no.

"Oh I am very, very happy to be here," Luke said to everyone at the table. They burst into laughter.

"When we go downstairs to watch a movie, I'll show you the photo albums," Juan told him.

"Not if I burn them first." Penelope pushed away from the table and walked quickly to the basement door.

"I have them saved on my computer too. Don't worry." Marcos waved his hand in dismissal.

"Not to burst your bubble, but she's a technical analyst for the FBI. She can probably erase everything you've ever had on your laptop with one hand," Luke informed him.

Marcos looked up with wide eyes and dropped his fork, quickly following his sister down the stairs. "Penelope, don't you dare touch my computer." They heard his muffled voice from the table.

"You know, if you keep embarrassing her, I can't guarantee that she won't clear out your bank accounts just for fun, and, since you're in Mexico, and she's a federal agent..." Luke warned with a shrug.

The other three brothers exchanged glances, before all standing up. "Penelope, you can choose the movie if you want."

"Do you want any snacks?"

"Can I get you a drink?"

Luke laughed as he watched them all follow her. He turned to Flora. "Would you like help cleaning up?"

Flora gave him a wide smile. "Not tonight, dear. Go help your girlfriend with those boys. Art and I will clean." Luke stood up.

Arturo nodded at him. "Mijo, you told her, yes?"

Luke smiled at the man. "I started to. I think she understood. She said she'll give me a chance while we're here."

Arturo nodded, and Luke walked away.

"So in love. So blind." Flora watched him disappear as she said the hushed words to her husband.

"I'll bet my life they get married in no time." Arturo winked at her and grabbed her hand, placing a kiss to the back of it.

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Thank you to everyone who reviews, it is always a joy to see. I also appreciate the favs and follows. I know many of you follow me as an author (which I appreciate immensely) but I do tend to update the stories that have move favs/follows/reviews first, so just be aware of that. A few people asked why I took so long between some chapters and some stories are updated quicker. That is usually why.

Also, I am so glad so many of you are liking this story. I know it is romantic and sweet, I would like to remind everyone this is rated M for a reason. Dominant Luke (my favorite kind of Luke) will make an appearance later on so please don't get too invested if you are not going to go for that later.

Thanks to BookDragon2013 for making time for this long ass story.


	14. Chapter 14

I have been having a rough few days so I am behind on updating but thanks for everything!

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They were watching Pretty Woman. Penelope was very happy she got her way at least once. She was used to always getting outvoted every time they did something together.

"Why is this a romantic movie? She's a hooker, right?" Santi asked as he stuffed some candy in his face.

"Yes, but that's not the point. The point is that he likes her, and only her. Whatever she does doesn't matter," Penelope attempted to explain.

"But he's kind of mean to her, so is it that he falls in love with her, or that he likes her right then and so he's nice to her for a while?" Juan questioned. "Because I have a feeling this didn't even last a year."

Penelope sighed. "It's a movie, Juan. They lived happily ever after for seventy years, and she never had to hook again. The end." She rolled her eyes. She didn't enjoy the movie because it was logical.

"No, I get it. She's just being herself, and at first he is mean, but only because he's hiding from any real emotion. It has nothing to do with her, and then, once she opens up to him, he feels safe to open up too, and that's when they fall in love, and it does last because he realized he needed something real to fight for and not just something as frivolous as a job." Git was sitting on the floor, eyes trained on the screen.

The others were behind him, glancing at each other in amused surprise. They all quieted down and continued to watch the film. Marcos was on a desk chair in the corner, mostly paying attention to his phone. Santi and Juan were on the futon, and Juan was passing a toy football between his hands. Penelope and Luke had also taken the floor but were leaning back against the futon a couple feet from Juan's legs.

Penelope shivered. "Maybe if you had on a whole outfit, you wouldn't be cold," Juan reprimanded her as he pulled the blanket from behind him, handing it over to her. She rolled her eyes but took the blanket, opening it and spreading over her crossed legs and pulling it up to her chest keeping her hands curled at the top, holding it in place.

"Hey, Chica, you going to share that?" Luke whispered in her ear causing her to close her eyes at the sensation of his lips so close to her. She nodded numbly, unfolding the blanket one more time so it would be big enough for both of them.

After a few minutes, Luke moved his hand to her thigh, which he found bare, her short dress riding up when she'd sat cross-legged on the floor. He almost cursed himself. He wanted to touch her, but he also didn't want to do anything too audacious nor do anything to create a problem he wasn't allowed to fix in this house. But he'd be damned if he moved away now, especially since as soon as his fingertips connected with her skin, she shivered again but not from the temperature of the room. He waited a few moments before slowly moving his fingertips back and forth in the small spot he'd created on the patch of skin. He could see her trying to calm herself out of the corner of his eye. Although he was enjoying making her squirm, it was also backfiring. Watching her breathing hitch and feeling her bare thigh only made him want to run his hands further up. He stopped his movements but kept his fingers where they were.

As soon as his hand had found her leg, she felt the immediate rush of liquid to her center. She had no idea how he could do that to her with ease. There were times where he would do something innocuous around the office, and she would find that she'd end up holding her thighs together simply because she knew she'd rather have him there. He knew what he was doing to her, his barely contained smile and bright eyes telling her that he was enjoying making her squirm. When he'd stopped, she was disappointed and relieved all at once. But she saw him narrow his eyes, and she realized that he was trying to keep himself in check too. She bit her lip to contain her delight and put her hand down letting the blanket pool in her lap, stretching her back, poking her chest out as far as it would go. Once she noticed that he glanced at her chest, she stopped the stretch and let her own hand find its way under the blanket towards his knee, letting it settle there as he had done and then running it up his jean clad thigh to his hip bone, making him sit as still as a statue. She smiled. Two could play this game. She did it again slowly. His fingers that he'd softly placed on her thigh were now gripping it.

Once he'd calmed himself after a few more strokes of her hand, he decided he had to make her as tense as he was. He moved his fingers further up her thigh, pushing the dress pooled in the middle of her lap up further as he did. He ran his hand back down towards her knee, and then he slowly let each finger tip crawl upwards until he once again met the fabric of dress, running his fingers lightly, side to side, trailing the horizontal line it made to her inner thigh. She took in a deep breath, feeling herself get even more wet than she'd already been and stilling her hand, forgetting what she had been doing just moments ago.

"Is this movie almost over? Because these two are getting frisky, and I'm not going to watch my sister get felt up," Juan announced to the room, not chancing a glance at the two people sitting by his feet.

Luke stopped his hand immediately but didn't move away, not wanting it to seem too obvious how right Juan was.

"Oh ew, you guys." Marcos stood up and walked up the stairs followed by Santi.

"But the ending is the best part," Git protested, not turning around until Juan threw the football at his head. "Fine, whatever." He got up following Juan to the staircase. "Remember you can't actually penetrate," he reminded them as he ascended the stairs.

The door closed, and the light that momentarily streamed in from the top of the stairs went away. Neither Penelope nor Luke moved or said anything. Luke counted to fifteen, but instead of finding any peace he found that his mind was clouded with images of pounding himself into the woman sitting next to him. He pushed the blanket off of their bodies and twisted her, making her back hit the floor, and in seconds he was over her body, kissing her senseless. He almost reprimanded himself about needing to pull back until he felt her legs open wide, letting him settle in between them. They both let out small moans as his jean clad erection laid over her panty clad clitorus.

She wasn't sure if he could feel the moisture through his jeans or not, but the feeling of him being against her wasn't going to dry it up. She whined as she tried to push up, but one of his hands came to lay on her hip to keep her from moving. She whined again, which made him groan. She wasn't going to win that battle. So instead she did something that was under her control. She brought her hands up to her chest, letting her fingers grip the fabric of the triangles covering her. She pulled them down, hooking them under each breast, leaving her exposed to him. He stopped kissing her and pushed back to get the full view of her now exposed nipples. He let out a lust-filled, strangled sigh before peering up to her face, seeing nothing but lust and a hint of a challenge. He took a mental picture of her chest before letting his mouth latch onto a nipple. He heard her loud moan begin until she brought a hand up to stop it. He moved his mouth to the other breast and then brought his hand up to squeeze the one his mouth had just abandoned before running the pad of his thumb over the now hardened point.

She brought her hand to the button of his shirt, unbuttoning it quickly and pushing it off of his shoulders. Then she let her hands trace the lines that formed a v that led down to his pants before running her hands back up his abs to his chest, running over his nipples and then back down again. He pulled back to see her eyes glazed over with lust. His were heavy-lidded with desire. He finally moved his hips, letting his erection move across her panties, watching her tip her head back, trying to control her moan. Her exposed neck invited him in, and he lightly bit her before moving his lips up close to her ear and feeling her body jerk as he kissed the sensitive spot there.

A small stream of light came through and then an amused voice. "Not in my house," Arturo shouted from the top of the stairs. The door quickly shut, and the small stream of light disappeared.

Both of them were breathing hard. Luke glanced towards the staircase, cursing its existence before turning back to her lust-filled face. He wanted to take her right there, say to hell with the rules, but it wasn't the rules that were keeping him from taking it further. It was his need for her to see this as more than a fun summer. He wanted this to be real. Physical acts don't define love; they intensify it, he said to himself. He made eye contact with her once more, wanting her to know it was him doing this to her. He lowered his mouth and placed a kiss on her right nipple, blowing on it and then bringing the small triangle of fabric up to cover it, before repeating his actions on the other side. He watched her heavy breasts heave as she closed her eyes, calming herself. He pushed off of her, missing her instantly as he did. She sat up with his help and then took his hands to help her stand.

"This is so hard," she murmured. He brought her close to him and let his hips pulse against her leg. "Okay, you've made your point." She bit her lips, peeking down at the bulge she'd just felt on her thigh.

"We need to go to bed before we do something that will get me kicked out on my first night." He kissed her forehead as she closed her eyes, leaning into him. She nodded against his chin and then let him pull her towards the staircase, following him reluctantly. As they shut the door behind them, she glanced towards her bedroom door only a few feet away and then to Juan's door in the other direction. He leaned in putting his hand on her throat and then kissed her again. She melted into his chest returning the kiss with force.

"God, we can hear you! Gross!" Santi said as he came out of Juan's room to walk to his own.

Penelope sighed as she glared at her brother before he quickly disappeared. "Good night, Luke." She examined his face, seeing a gamut of emotion there.

"Good night, Penelope." He let his chin touch her forehead before he let her go. Both of them let their hands touch as they took small steps away from each other until they were too far apart. She gave him a shy smile before walking into her room and shutting the door. He took a deep breath before walking to Juan's room.


	15. Chapter 15

Hope everyone is still enjoying this story, we have a ways to go. Cash has two more chapters. Manor only has two more chapters to go but I almost feel like posting it right now just to put everyone out of their misery. I have another new short story that is written but isn't fully edited yet. And another one-shot will be posted at some point too. But, other than that, the Garvez I have out is all there is. With all the posting this month I know I was able to mark complete on Signals and When so it feels odd to be at the tail end of stuff. But as I said, that plagiarism really just thew me for a loop. Working so hard on something you can never be paid for only for someone to steal your ideas to get views? That's harsh. As I said before, the payment for most of us FF writers is you all enjoying our stuff and telling us about it. So of course I appreciate you all immensely. I love Garvez and I hope that you all are excited for the premier. I am not sure I have the bravery to watch it. I am still debating waiting for all of you to tell me it's safe to do so before I do.

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"So how was the make out session?" Juan asked from his place on the top bunk without removing his eyes from his book.

Luke couldn't help but shake his head and laugh as he went to his bag on the bottom bunk. "I'll tell you if you really want to know." If he was going to fit in here, he needed to let go of any idea he had about boundaries.

Juan laughed. "You catch on quick. I like that." He glanced briefly at Luke over the top of the glasses Luke hadn't seen him wear until now.

"Hey, didn't you hear? I'm FBI." Luke pushed the still open shirt off of his shoulders, searching for a regular t-shirt for bed and some running shorts. "Mind if I change in here?"

"Do _you_ mind if you change in here?" Juan countered as he turned a page in his book.

Luke laughed. "Seriously, none of you have brought any significant people home before?"

"Alright, Mr. FBI, profile me. Why are we all such late bloomers?" His eyes finally abandoned his reading as he propped his head on his hand, elbow on the bed.

"Alright, I think that you value family over everything, and that they've provided everything any of you needed emotionally, so you've never had to seek it out elsewhere. Most of you are part of the family business, which means you work hard and don't have spare time to go out to meet others. And I think you've felt incomplete without Penelope, and none of you wanted to bring someone significant in and not have her be a part of it. All of you march to the beat of your own drum. I don't think most of you want kids, so you're in no rush to find someone."

Juan considered him. He was impressed. "You've covered most of us, I'd say. Most of us didn't want something serious for a long time, except Git. He actually is in love with love. But he's still too hurt by what happened with his ex, so he doesn't know what to do even now."

"Do any of you want to get married?" Luke asked as he folded his button up, placing it in the duffel before setting it on the ground next to his bed.

"Yeah, I think so. I think all of us want to settle down relatively soon, except Marcos, but with that being said I'm not sure that any of us think that we could ever measure up to what our parents have created. Have you seen them? They give unconditional love. They so easily create a place for us to be together. No one ever feels out of place. They didn't mess up at all. I could never go to a therapist and blame anything on them."

"It's not that any of you are so messed up that you can't be with anybody. It's that you're so fulfilled you never had to be. It's a really nice thought. And I believe it sincerely as well. I don't think people realize that, just because you're not with anybody, doesn't mean you're a complete disaster."

"Is that what I should be thinking about you? You're what, a few years older than Penelope, and she's in her late thirties? So that means that you're past the acceptable societal age for being single without having an ex-wife somewhere." Juan put his book down and took off his glasses.

"I don't know if I'm perfection like all of you are, but I really would like to believe I was waiting for the right person to come around. I think some people don't like to be alone, which I get, but that means they make promises and mistakes they can't take back. If people only waited for it to be really right and not caught up in the feeling of being needed, maybe everyone would have that one good solid relationship and only have kids after they knew it was really right." Luke had pulled back the covers and shut off the light as he spoke, finally climbing into the small bed. "I know Penelope thinks she's damaged, but she's held everyone away from her, which might not be the healthiest thing to do, but at the same time I think she knew if she did those things it would be because society told her that's the way to look normal, but looking that way on the outside and actually being okay with who you are, that's two different things."

"Interesting. I think I agree with you," Juan said as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. "I have a few friends that got married, have kids, but they're not happy. To anyone else it looks like I'm the one who doesn't have my life together, but they're doing what they think they're supposed to, not what they want to, and that means they're the ones who don't have their shit together."

"Agreed." Luke was laying on the bottom bunk looking up at the graffiti someone had put under the top bed. "Your family really is wonderful. I've learned so much, thought hard about who I am, and been told it's okay just being me. That there's nothing wrong with me."

"And you only met us twenty-four hours ago. We aim to please."

"You know I'm actually forty, so I've been wondering when I should tell my family that I was unlovable and to give up hope. Just so they'd leave me alone."

"Forty is not old. If you were trying to be a good husband back when you were thirty, would you think you would've been as good to someone as you would now?"

"You're absolutely right. I wouldn't have been able to at all."

"Yup, and that's how you end up divorced with kids that have to pay for your mistakes and get carted back and forth every holiday."

"Definitely agreed." They both stayed silent for a few moments. "I'm sorry I haven't already been with her for twenty years, but damn it she was worth the wait."

"Oh shit, you got it bad," Juan's voice teased.

"I really fucking do. I wasn't even aware how bad until now. I finally figured out what the fuck I was waiting for all this time, why I wouldn't let any woman turn my head, why work always seemed like the better option. I get it now."

"Do you think she gets it?"

"Maybe. I don't think she really believes me though, and why the fuck not?" Luke's voice was contemplative as he spoke.

"She doesn't think she'll ever have anything that won't be taken away from her. She doesn't think she's important enough to be given something great."

"Which is so funny because sometimes she's so damn self-assured and confident, and then other times she apparently can't even believe that I really want her."

"Well, you are very pretty," Juan said seriously.

Luke let out a loud laugh. "Do you think she really thinks shit like that matters though?"

"It does to a lot of people, but most don't realize that's all relative. I've had a few boyfriends that were aesthetically pleasing, but they were vapid and rude, and they weren't worth shit. I'm not trying to give some speech about looks don't matter as much as personality either. I'm just saying a bad person is a bad person, and, if you're with someone just to prove something to other people, then you're doing life wrong."

"Agreed. Plus Penelope is gorgeous. I'm not sure she always believes that either."

"Well she fucking believed it today. I thought I was going to see tits pop out." Juan laughed.

Luke was trying to contain his giggle. "Don't let her hear you say tits."

"I'm gay, so it's okay. On the other hand, you can't say it."

"Wouldn't dare. But seriously, why do you think she thinks that way? I didn't have to get to know her in order to be attracted to her. I remember meeting her when I was introduced to the team. I saw her, and I fixated on her tight smile that she barely gave me, and then honestly I looked at the dip in her dress and then down to her legs that are, seriously nice. I just don't understand them. They're so good, probably because she never takes her heels off." Luke was laughing.

Juan gave a chuckle, "This is lost on me in so many ways, but I understand what you mean. I can't explain to you why she wouldn't believe that about herself, but, with the way you two want to go at it, I don't think she'll have enough time to doubt it at all."

"Ha, well, thanks for that man."

"I know we just said we shouldn't assume looks are an indication of compatibility, but any chance you have a brother who's as kind as you and hopefully gay, like super gay?"

Luke's chuckle shook the bed. "If I did, do I just send him down your way? Left at the fork in the road, no questions asked?"

"Well, as you said I think I'm getting to the point where I'd like to find the one person to be with. I've saved up money since I live with my parents. I'm going to buy my own place soon, and I want a man in my life full time. I even think I could get Penelope to be my best man now. She's really coming around with you here."

"I heard her say mom and dad on the phone before I got here."

"In the heat of the moment sure, she usually lets it slip out a couple times but holds back a lot more often than not. Maybe you make her feel more open." Juan shrugged. "But it has something to do with you, and I'm grateful for that."

Luke had a wide smile on his face as he listened to Juan's gratitude. He had no idea he had any effect on her in that way. He'd only been open and honest with a friend, a person he felt deserved the kind ear and true words. "I hope she sees what you all are to her now. I think she's beginning to accept it again, and, if she lets me in, I'll be happy to be a part of it too."

"You fit right in, and we'd welcome you with open arms. Actually we already have. We can see who you are together. You'll be fine."

"You are supremely more confident than I am." The slight caution in Luke's voice made Juan shake his head. "Good night."

"Good night." Juan turned to fluff his pillow. "New brother? Pssh! As if I needed another one of those. Good thing I'm the only gay one."

Luke fluffed his pillow with a goofy grin plastered on his face. Then he let his head hit the pillow with a contented sigh. He'd happily join this happy circus if it got him her.


	16. Chapter 16

Penelope walked into the kitchen. She knew Luke was an early riser. She was trying to get up early so he wouldn't see her first thing in the morning with her hair matted from sleep and not a stitch of makeup and possibly drool on her face. She'd just got to kiss Alvez for the first time in forever, and she didn't want him to see her at anything less than her best, at least not for a while. She got into the shower before the boys did, and then she went straight back to her bedroom closing the door, no re-emergence until she was fully done up.

"Geesh, Rubia, he already wants you. Take a fucking break," Git said from the stool he was occupying at the counter when he saw her appear in the hallway.

"Language!" Flora reprimanded without turning around from her spot in front of the sink.

Luke had been helping Flora clean some of the pans she'd already used for the breakfast that was presented nicely on the counter. He turned around to see Penelope walk past Git, slapping the back of his head as she did. She smiled shyly at Luke when she noticed his eyes following her. He could feel the wide smile spread across his own face before he turned to finish with the last pot and dry his hands. He noticed her acting shy, and he didn't want her to doubt what had happened between them. He walked over to where she'd leaned against the counter and grabbed her face, kissing her soundly on the lips until he felt her relax and let her body melt into his.

"Okay, okay. We get it. You two want to bone, but can we have breakfast first?" Git asked as he scratched his chest underneath his wrinkled sleep tank. The two swiveled their faces towards him but hadn't moved their bodies away from each other.

Santi walked in from the hallway with just his sleep pants on. "Why are these two the only ones wearing clothes. Doesn't that defeat their whole goal?" He grabbed a glass to pour some juice into.

"I think they're trying to impress each other," Git remarked.

Marcos ambled in. "Well that's stupid. Don't you see each other everyday at work in, I'm assuming, nice clothes if your office is the FBI? This is vacation. Take it off. Take it off," he encouraged, giving his two cents and dancing at his last words.

"Ay, leave them alone." Flora smiled at Luke. "They can't do anything here anyway." She handed Luke a plate.

"That's not what I experienced last night." Juan yawned and rubbed his hand over his face. "These two were touching each other up, with my legs only a pillow cushion away. Ten bucks says they do it by next weekend."

Penelope had chosen not to comment on the situation, but at Juan's words she choked on the juice she was sipping as she sat at the table with Luke. "Dad, they're discussing my virtue," she said as the oldest man in the house walked in, fully dressed.

"Boys, don't talk about your sister's relationship like that. It's inappropriate and rude." Arturo spoke in his most sincere voice, "Put me down for engaged by October for fifty though." He was loading his plate with food. His eyes shot to Penelope who had a minor look of betrayal on her face. "What? I'm not going to lose out on easy money," he informed her with his shoulders raised.

She kept staring daggers at him, desperately trying to not look at Luke. After all, this was a vacation thing, and there was no guarantee what they could manage in the real world when they got there.

"Yeah, but they're not going to wait until they're married to do it," Santi countered, bringing his fork to his mouth.

"They won't even wait until you're out of the room," Juan mentioned.

"Who wins if we do it on the same day we get married but before the ceremony?" Luke finally decided it would be hilarious to join in on the ridiculous things these people discussed.

Everyone in the room stared at him, all with looks of amusement. Only Penelope's face was marred in confusion and fear.

"Well, that's a whole world of confusing. I guess it depends on the bet. In this scenario, how long did the engagement last?" Santi asked contemplatively.

"Clearly there was no engagement. They did it, and then they realized they can't live without each other, so they run to a judge and get married," Marcos said scrutinizing Santi as if he'd lost his mind.

"But what if they were engaged for a long time, and they were waiting for whatever shit romantic idea they had in their heads, and then, right before they get married, she decides that she wants him to know that she wants him with or without the ring," Juan proposed.

"Ahhh, hmm maybe. You know we have never truly established parameters regarding days. Is it always after midnight when the new day begins? If you're with somebody on a Friday night date, but you sleep with them after midnight, you don't say to yourself 'I slept with them last Saturday morning.' You say I slept with them Friday night," Santi said.

"Oh no, we are not doing this again. When it comes to life maybe, but, when it comes to bets, the rules are clear, midnight to midnight," Git informed.

"What happens if you're switching time zones?" Luke asked. Penelope finally chanced a glance at him again with incredulity. He shrugged. "We have a jet. We travel a lot. What if a future bet depends on me knowing these things?" He said by way of explanation, putting a forkful of eggs in his mouth before turning in the general direction of the family.

"These are solid questions. I think we should get out the chart," Marcos remarked, stuffing the last bit of his breakfast in his face before walking out of the room.

"Nobody get the chart. That thing is ridiculous," Penelope argued.

"You love charts, Chica." Luke nudged her shoulder with his before letting his hand slide down to her thigh.

She narrowed her eyes at him to protest until she felt his fingers in that familiar spot. She watched his eyes light up as she held her breath, while he pushed her dress up under the table, letting his fingers ghost over her inner thigh.

"What was that? I didn't hear you." He leered at her.

"See, they're doing it again," Juan said as he brought his plate to the sink to rinse it.

"Aren't you going to yell at them, Art?" Flora asked as she tore a piece of bread to daintily put in her mouth.

"No, anything you can get away with under the breakfast table is fair game." He dunked a piece of potato in the hot sauce he'd poured on his plate. "But Luke's the best one we've got now. He'll follow the rules. He won't do the deed under my roof."

"Excuse me. I'm the best one," Penelope scoffed, affronted as she stared at the man casually lapping up hot sauce.

"Hmmm, I thought so, but, as good as you are, you'd break that rule, mija. Luke, no." Arturo put a hand up to stop her protest. "Don't even try to argue."

"He's right. I'll bet a hundred that Penelope was the one to take off the clothes last night." Git's mouth was full of food as he spoke.

Penelope huffed and crossed her arms indignantly, but in her mind she knew she had pulled her dress down, and she had also pulled Luke's shirt up. She pouted her lip. "Well, have you seen his abs?" She gave as an excuse.

"I have, and I understand." Juan nodded at her in appreciation. She nodded back gratefully.

Luke was happy she was joining in on her family's fun, but her words made him want to show her just how much he had enjoyed her body as well. He moved the fingers he had let still when the family called them out on their affection, back to her inner thigh. He pushed the dress up and felt the outline of the strings of her underwear. He now knew she had on a bikini style panty. He watched in delight as she gripped the edges of the table with both hands, trying to stare straight ahead. Had he known he could affect her with such little movement, he might have tried this a couple years ago.

"Here's the chart." Marcos walked back in with a large dry erase board that had their names in a list and checks and marks and colored-in blocks everywhere.

"God, we still have that thing?" Penelope asked.

"Well, it's been in the basement since we moved here," Marcos said sadly.

"Not the same without you, Naranja," Git mumbled.

"I'm- I- yeah, I guess not." She had peeked up sadly at the chart that hadn't been touched in years, marks half erased and faded.

Luke had stopped his pleasurable torture when he saw the surprise on her face and heard the emotion in her voice. "Penelope loves making charts and putting me at the end of the list," he said into the oddly quiet room. "Got any bright colors so she can fix it?"

Marcos took his eyes off the chart he was holding in front of him. "Only a couple, but we can go to the store." Penelope saw the same gleam in his eye that had been there when he was a scrawny fourteen year old. Now that he was in his late twenties, he was still the baby, but she was glad to see the wonder in his eyes return to where it was before. She realized in that moment that she had been hurt, by believing that they could easily banish her, when in reality, she was the one who abandoned them.

"I'm sorry," she said in a low voice. There were tears forming in her eyes.

Flora dropped her fork. She was the only one still eating since she was the only person who didn't shovel food in their mouth like it was their last meal. "Mija, what's wrong?" She leaned over the table, reaching her short arm towards Penelope.

Everyone's eyes were on Penelope as she stared into her lap. Small tear drops fell down her face. Luke knew where she was going, but she needed the time to get there. He brought the hand that had been teasing her up to her back, where he rubbed comforting concentric circles giving her the silent support to say what she needed to say. "I- I- I'm just really sorry that I wasted so much time without you, all the birthdays and vacations where I should've been here instead of alone and angry and wallowing in self pity. I was so scared that you all were going to leave me, so I just left you first."

"Oh, mi chiquita, no you-" Arturo's voice was cut off by Git's.

"Stop! Don't do that. It all happened because of me. If anyone is to blame, it's me, and we all know it. I know that, and I berate myself constantly. Every time we're doing something as a family, and you're not there, I know it's my fault. Every single time we hang your stocking at Christmas, only to have to mail your stupid gifts to you, I know it's because I decided to be a jerk, wrapped up in my own shit and not worried about what you were going through. I was selfish, and I'm sorry." He had tears in his eyes, and it was the quietest Luke had ever heard him be.

Penelope was nodding as she quietly cried, indicating she had heard him but was unable to speak. "I still shouldn't have pulled away like that. I shouldn't have punished all of you. I should've punched you, and then told you I was sorry you and Gina broke up. I could've done things better too."

Everyone was silent and emotional, taking in everything that was happening. Luke saw Penelope start to recover, so he decided he was going to be there for her in the way that he believed she needed, the way this family had already taught him in such a short amount of time. "So, can we all do a group hug now or is that too much for you people?"

Penelope started laughing, and she playfully pushed at his chest as the others chuckled at his comment. "At least these two should hug." Santi pointed between his sister and older brother.

"I'm not hugging him. He hasn't showered yet." Penelope was wiping the last of her tears with the sleeve of her cardigan.

Git's head perked up at the challenge. He whirled around on the stool and then took a couple strides until he got to her. She hadn't even realized what he was doing until she felt herself and the chair she was sitting in being lifted up, gravity bringing her close to his chest even though she attempted to put her hands out to stop the connection. "You love it," Git said as she squealed trying feebly to get away.

"Put me down. You smell so bad. How do you sweat so much in your sleep?" She let out a high-pitched squeal as he finally set the chair back down.

"Alright, so are we going to the store to get markers while these two attempt to not have sex?" Marcos asked as he pointed to where Penelope put her hand on Luke's shoulder.

Penelope laughed, as did everyone else. If there was any tension keeping them from being completely open with each other, this finally broke it. Luke was scared about how much more they could crawl into his business, but oddly the thought of not having them there seemed far worse.

* * *

Thanks to all of you who follow any of my stories. And thanks to those guests who leave wonderful reviews. I know I can't reply but know that they are appreciated.

Movies will probably be updated tomorrow and then the finale of Cash, I think.

Thanks to BookDragon2013 for helping me edit.


	17. Chapter 17

Hey everyone. I am such a mess. Didn't mean to make you wait so long. I am so happy to see your reviews when I get them. I am sorry if I haven't gotten back to you. Life is messy.

The last chapter of Manor will be up soon.

* * *

"So this is the famous romantic waterfall?" Luke questioned as he scanned all the greenery surrounding it and the children and families swimming in the water.

"Yup, that's it. It's nice, but all waterfalls are nice. It's not a bad place to come and walk around and talk."

"I was told I could get you naked if I got you in the water, but, with the children splashing around I think I've been deceived," Luke said as he sat next to her, as she people-watched.

"I think they said _nearly_ naked, and it wouldn't work anyway. I don't do water and getting nearly naked in front of people," she said as she shifted her sunglasses up her nose a little further.

"As long as that rule doesn't apply to me." He was smirking at her as she whirled her head towards him with a hint of shock in her face.

"This whole thing is going to take a lot of getting used to." She was staring at his lips now, whether because she wanted to kiss him or because she was trying to sort out the words that just came out of it, she didn't know. Then her mind transported once again to a daydream she had often, about his beautiful, full pink lips.

He tipped his head down to try and catch her gaze. "Something you need?"

She took a quick breath, knowing that he'd caught her this time and wondering if it was awkward. If anything should be awkward, it's the fact that he now knew what her nipples looked like. In fact, he knew what her whole breast looked like, both of them. Alvez saw her topless. In fact, he saw her topless and panting underneath him wanting more. She huffed and sent her line of sight flying back to the many people enjoying the surroundings.

"Penelope." He vocalized her name with a hint of mirth and a dash of wonder.

She could feel his eyes on the back of her head. She bit her lip and turned back to him, thanking the universe that her sunglasses were dark, so it felt like she was behind a curtain that gave her a place to hide her embarrassment. "Alvez, Luke, Newbie…" She trailed off and let him give an inaudible chuckle to the nickname she used to hold onto so vehemently. "You've seen my boobs," she whispered the last part.

He chuckled out loud this time, bringing his hand to pinch between his eyes to keep from guffawing. His sparkling eyes scanned her face again. "Yes, I have, and I have an excellent memory, so now the image of them is forever stored in my mind capsule where it will very happily live the rest of its days."

Her cheeks turned red, partially from embarrassment and partially from excitement at the thought that pretty Alvez now knew and liked an intimate part of her body. "See, this is weird. I- when I think about kissing you and hanging out with my family with you, it's like you're a different person."

He crossed his arms, a small smile on his closed lips. "Explain."

"What I mean is, sometimes when I've talked to you outside of work, we're hanging out at the bar, it's like you're not my work Luke. You're my," she paused in thought, "friend-ish Luke. So here, that's the only Luke I've seen, but then sometimes when my mind wanders to work or when I remember how we met, I think, _annoying Newbie totally could_ _get me naked,_ and it's a weird, very strange thought to have."

He wanted to laugh at her, but he could see she really had thought about this. "I get that, but see from my side. I think, _yes, I'm finally not Newbie anymore, and maybe I can get her naked."_

She squinted at him, despite the sunglasses sitting on her face. "Huh?"

"See here's the thing. I've thought about you naked a lot - underneath me, beside me, sitting on my face, licking my-"

"Okay, okay, stop," she tried to reprimand him. She quickly glanced around in case someone heard, but she couldn't help the glee on her face at his confession.

"What I'm saying is, I know you a lot more now, and I'm glad you let me in enough to develop a friendship. I'm even more glad you were ice cold to me at first because it made me work for it, appreciate it, and quite frankly kept me from trying to get you in my bed too soon. Which thinking about what we have now, that might have made this whole thing a lot harder to maintain and manage without the knowledge I have of you now. I'm aware you are Garcia though. In fact, that thought ran through my mind last night. ' _When I call Garcia for information, I can remember licking her nipples into hard points that make me want to come all over them_.' You can't take that away from me now. Newbie or not."

She let out a shocked gasp. Her eyes were wide underneath the dark lenses, her mouth parted in surprise as she regarded his pleased grin. She took a breath and then clenched her jaw as she tried to recover. "So you're doing all this to finally feel like you've got the upper hand?" she questioned in a teasing voice, but an insecure part of her wanted to know. She knew she had shut him out, made fun, teased him, called out his less than knowledgeable tactics on the job when he first transferred and maybe he felt emasculated. Maybe he wanted to win simply so he could throw it in her face.

Knowing her well enough now, he could tell she was trying to brace herself. "No, Chica, I really, really want to be around you. It makes me feel good to be around you, to call you. I want to get the chance to make this something good. I know I can't predict the logistics of it with work, but here we are." He gestured around. She wasn't sure if he meant the waterfall, Mexico, vacation…

"So you don't just want to- uh-do naughty things just so you can say you've won somehow?"

"Mmmm, I'm not so crass." He regarded her and gave her a look like she was the most ridiculous person on the earth. "Would you have kissed me if you thought I was capable of that?"

"Well, no, but you've done undercover work. You might be a better actor than I know about." She attempted her weak defense.

"Yeah, but massive erections are hard to fake." He spoke as if he was discussing the weather.

She tried to hide her giggle. "I wouldn't know, but I believe you."

"That's a good habit to get into." He was so casual as he spoke about all of this, and she was almost jealous of his calm demeanor. "Although, maybe once you start believing me, I'll possibly enjoy making you pay for my initial less-than-kind nickname." She narrowed her eyes at him, but, before she could retort, he grabbed her hand and led her away from the beautiful attraction.

"Hey, what are you doing? I was enjoying the waterfall, uh, sort of," she said to him.

"No, you weren't. You liked it for five minutes. It was pretty, but you have no interest in getting in the water or having a cheesy picnic. So where to?" He held onto her hand as he lead the way to the car.

She finally caught up to him. She had been a step behind since he'd surprised her by dragging her along. "I don't know. I know my parents want us back soon since you will be gone all day tomorrow."

"Okay, so where can we park and make out?" He glanced down to her at his side, examining her hair that was once again up in a ponytail. Her signature curls were still there but just worn differently. She had mentioned it was because of the heat, but he knew it had to be partially for him. At least he'd hoped so.

"Are you serious? You're- you just want to make out all over the place and not even worry- or I mean not- with what we just talked about?" She wasn't sure she'd actually posed a question.

"Penelope, in the past week, I've called to check in like I was your boyfriend, which was the plan. I was slowly going to wear you down over the phone for a few weeks until we both got back to town, and then use the remaining two weeks to get you alone, in person, as much as possible. Now that I got to skip a few steps, yes, I would like to take this incredible opportunity to be all over you because I know, once we get back, you are going to worry about what everyone else thinks and knows and not about what you or I want or feel." He gave her the side eye, daring her to argue with his logic.

She blew air out of her nose trying to determine if she should be mad he made such an assumption or pleased that he knew her well enough to know that it was true. She wasn't sure how to do any of this. If this was more than a fun summer, then that would mean she would be dating him. If she dated him, she had to believe that he really wanted _her,_ which was tough because she knew he could have anyone. Part of her brain didn't understand why it would be her. She never felt like she was lucky in love. There was a part of her that didn't believe him when he said he'd thought about her before or had any sort of plan. She believed that he believed it in that moment. He wasn't unkind, and he had integrity, but that doesn't mean he wasn't looking through rose-colored, Mexico-induced glasses. The tiniest, most optimistic part of her wanted to believe it was all real, and that every weird sensation her body had ever made her aware of since she'd first met him was not only real but that it happened because some weird fate-cosmic-universe thing which meant that they were made for each other. But that voice was tiny, and at the very least he was right. She would feel incredibly awkward walking into the BAU with just-been-fucked hair and an askew dress and having the entire team know it was Alvez whom she'd let do the fucking.

"Anytime now, Penelope."

"I sort of like thinking of you as Luke," she finally said.

"That's good because I'm him," he countered.

She rolled her eyes. "No, I mean, I sort of like to think of you as that person I know. That guy at work I like, but at the same time I like thinking of you as this person who fits in so well with-with what I have here, and it's… daunting. I feel so dependent on your presence here. I can't imagine what happened with Git this morning happening without you here." She was contemplating deeply as she spoke.

He nodded. "I know what you mean. I am always so...well, alone, or I was, until- what I'm trying to say is that I've been very okay living my life as a loner who saw friends and family sometimes but was otherwise content with their dog. Ever since you tried so hard to keep me out, I never wanted in as much as I have. Even in the past couple of years as coworkers and hesitant friends, you have made it so abundantly clear what it means to truly care for people and to have them in your life and make it meaningful. So for that, I am grateful and forever changed because even if this- even if this doesn't- if we- if you- even if worse comes to worst, then you should know you taught me that I want more than to keep to myself." All of his words were hesitant. It was like he knew what he wanted to say, but he still didn't know what he wanted to say. "I like the BAU family, and you can't get rid of me that easily anymore, but also, if I left or one of them did, I would care and keep in touch, and I wouldn't have done that before."

She was smirking at him. "So you're saying I changed you for the better? Even without the making out? I'm damn good." She squeezed his hand this time.

"Yeah, you really are." He opened the car door for her. "But we can still make out because I think you have some damn good skills there too." He closed the door and went around to the driver's side getting in and starting the car. "And just to make it that much hotter for you, I'll tell you now, all I'm going to be thinking about is the fact that Garcia is going to be answering all the team's phone calls, but I will be the only one who knows what she looks like when she comes." He was driving away from the waterfall. She had been gazing at the scenery, and then her eyes shot to his profile as he spoke.

"But you don't know-"

"Oh, but I have almost four weeks. I plan on knowing that face well enough to draw it from memory." He didn't bother to look over to her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why are you so incredibly bold today? You were as hesitant as I was yesterday - wait, weren't you?"

He let his head move side to side as he contemplated. "I was treading in shallow water because I wasn't sure I could swim. But I will never forget your hands coming up to the top of your dress and pulling it down so swiftly or the need I saw in your face. So I'm being courageous because I don't want to lose out on that and not because I'm cocky, before you accuse me of that."

"Right, so you're just saying things like _come all over them_ because you don't want to waste time. Sure, Alvez." She pursed her lips in doubt.

He tilted his head, always entertained by her ability to call him out on whatever she damn well pleased, which contradicted how shy she was when he would hold her hand and say sweet things, or how she would shyly smile at him from across the room at her family's house. "Hey, believe what you want, Chica, but I want to know a lot in the next few weeks, so consider this our immersion learning course." He finally glanced at her, his tongue to his teeth.

She was trying to fight the grin on her face, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of making her blush or making her turned on, and least of all making her want something she didn't know how to have yet. "Fine, but I'm a strict teacher."

He let out a chuckle. "Oh, I have a feeling that you're the one who likes a strict teacher."

Her mouth dropped open again, but he wasn't wrong. She crossed her arms over her chest, wanting to act affronted, but all she could think about was where they could park so she could get felt up.


	18. Chapter 18

Don't read this authors note if you don't like spoilers for the show. So... I am done with CM. Apparently in Luke's episode he moves in with his gf. The show hasn't been as interesting in a while anyway, and killing Garvez is just unnecessary and cruel. Just leave him single! Cripes! Why watch something that doesn't make me happy? Anyway, the way I see it, I don't have to be sad when it gets cancelled. I am done watching. The stories I have are finished and will get updated until they are done but otherwise I am off the Criminal Minds fandom.

* * *

They had parked somewhere that Santi had slyly suggested to Luke right before him and Penelope left to see the waterfall. He was still trying to figure out when to take the various members of the family seriously, but he was glad they were very serious about having creative places to bring dates because Penelope was currently straddling him in the backseat, her legs on the outside of his. Her left hand was on his chest where she'd pushed his shirt up to his pecs, and her right one was in his hair, gripping it as she kept her lips over his. He'd let one hand fall to her ass before the other one followed, but he had the urge to touch her breasts again, only having been allowed a few minutes to do so the night before. As his hand was coming around the front of her body, he heard her phone vibrating in the bag that was on the floor of the front seat. She pulled back reluctantly and momentarily, her lips still placing kisses on his as if she couldn't fully get away, which was not entirely untrue because he'd tightened his grip on her butt as soon as she'd moved her head back.

"Luke, what if it's an-"

His lips cut her off again. "It's not," He murmured, before putting his hand to the back of her neck, holding her lips to his again.

Her phone stopped vibrating. As they continued to kiss, he kept his hand to the back of her neck and let the other go to the top of her dress. He was damn happy that her current wardrobe selection consisted of just as many dresses as it did back home, but somehow these only consisted of ones that pushed her boobs high and let the majority of the flesh exposed. The low deep round cut of the summer dress left a little more to the imagination than yesterday, but not much. He smiled, thinking about the fact that he didn't need his imagination anymore. He let his fingertips roll a little bit of the fabric down, even though he knew this dress didn't allow the same accessibility as the other one. He could still get damn close to the most sensitive spot he'd found on her body so far. He let the hand on the back of her neck loosen a little as he swiftly brought his mouth down to the swell of her breast, placing slow wet kisses there and even using his tongue to taste the skin.

Her phone started vibrating again. Both of them groaned in annoyance instead of in pleasure, which is what the original plan was. She put both her hands on his chest to steady herself from feeling dizzy from pleasure. She huffed, and then turned, and reached over the front seat to grab the strap of her bag, lazily pulling it towards herself and stuffing her hand in to pull out her phone. She hit the button to answer as Luke continued to kiss her chest as soon as she was close enough.

She let out a small moan. "Gross! Why would you answer the phone like that!" It was Marcos' voice coming through the speaker. She'd pushed the button, so she didn't have to hold the phone to her ear.

"Speak quickly, Marcos," Penelope growled angrily.

"I was calling to see if you were on your way back, but that's an obvious no. Unless you're doing it in a moving car, in which case, go you two."

"What. Do. You. Need?" Penelope asked through gritted teeth.

"Okay, calm down, calm down. Mom wants to go to the American Legion tonight. They have her favorite mariachi group performing. We'll eat dinner there," Marcos informed her.

"Right, well, we can just..." She stopped speaking when Luke let his fingers trail over her nipple that was easily stimulated through the thin fabric of the lightweight dress. His lips were still kissing the fleshy top. "Umm, we'll meet you there."

"Mom said to tell you that you need to come here and drive with us in case you want to drink."

"We won't drink," Penelope said irritated and breathless at the same time.

There was a rustling on the other end of the phone. "Hey, mija, you and your boyfriend get over here now. Stop whatever it is you are doing. Your mother wants the good seats, and I can't condone whatever is happening right now anyway."

Luke stopped his assault on her a chest when he heard her father's voice come through the phone, not wanting the man to actually hear him kissing his daughter's skin or hear his daughter's moaning or panting. "Dad we- uh- okay, we'll be there. Just give us time to get back." Penelope didn't want to mention they were actually much closer than the their original destination, hoping it would give them at least a few more minutes to themselves.

There was a beat of silence. "You've got ten minutes. Whatever make out spot you chose is nearby. The boys don't go far. Your mother wants the good seats. I'm going to give her the good seats, and you know how she is about seats." There was another beat of silence. "Luke?"

"Uh, yes?" Luke really liked this man but was not exactly sure if he would get a talking to or not.

"You've made a lot of progress. Guess that kiss helped." Luke almost had to bite his lip to contain his laughter. "But, you two should build the anticipation a little more, no? So get over here now." He hung up.

Penelope let the phone slide to the back seat as she leaned forwards to recapture his lips. "Penelope, we have to go," he told her in between kisses.

"He won't do anything if we are a few minutes late." She leaned forward again, squeezing her arms to push her boobs together.

He groaned, but he held his ground. "First, I'm gonna need a minute." He let his hips pulse upward to let her feel the problem that was going to occupy a few moments of his time. She sighed wistfully. "Second, it takes about ten minutes to your house from here, so we're already pushing it. Third your mom is crazy about seats. Fourth your Dad is right. I want you to be really sure about what happens between us physically, and that means giving us enough time to make sure we know exactly what we are doing, and who we are doing it with, and most importantly why. I want this, but I don't want to get carried away before you start believing in me a little more."

"I never said we were," she lifted one eyebrow at him before continuing, "penetrating. But we were in the middle of _something,_ and I mean how can we know about the other stuff if we never get any time to do _other_ stuff." She pouted which made him want to bite her lip.

"I agree, but right now there are six people at your house waiting for us, knowing exactly what we are doing so…" He lifted his own eyebrow back at her.

She sighed again. "Yeah I know, but see there's this whole thing about my personality that makes me really impatient."

"Well, that's where I can help out. I have patience in droves, and I've already been waiting for two years." He tipped his head at her, giving a satisfied smirk.

She pushed off of him, trying to hide her delight at his words, but there was only so much a girl could take. She flipped herself over so she was next to him and they were both able to get out of the backseat. However, as he did so, she chose to just crawl over the seats instead.

"You just had to show me your ass again, huh?" He reached down and adjusted his jeans with a pull of his hand.

She smiled. She actually just didn't want to get out of the car, but she glanced down at his hand adjusting himself, her laziness giving her the added perk. "These Mariachis better be really freaking good!"

….

Sitting around a small table, the eight of them were listening to music and enjoying the entertainment. Penelope refused any alcoholic beverages, partially because her stubborn brain wanted to prove some sort of point about driving there themselves. Luke opted not to drink as well since he would be getting up early to do manual labor. Also neither of them were daily drinkers, even on vacation.

"You two are the picture of moderation," Git said as he poured some fruity frozen concoction out of the pitcher in the middle of the table.

"How do you drink as much as you do and still run a fitness business?" Penelope questioned even though she knew Git always had a high tolerance for alcoholic beverages.

"I took a few days off each week you're here, not like I'm heading in tomorrow. I had Ricky take my clients for Monday and Tuesday."

Juan leaned into Luke who was next to him. "Imagine Git being your boss."

Luke couldn't help but laugh. It was hard to imagine, but that man was a business owner and a successful one as well.

Penelope turned to Luke. "I wish you didn't have to work-volunteer tomorrow." She pouted slightly at him.

Luke was sort of surprised she'd said something so sweet and with such innocence. She was not thinking about it, so he knew it was what she really felt. He brought his hand up to her cheek. "It's just the rest of the week, as long as we stay on track. The other three and a half weeks will be yours if you want them." The two of them both had sincere smiles on their faces looking in each others' eyes. They both saw emotion in the other's that neither of them were calm enough to truly comprehend in that moment.

When they heard a collective and cheesy _aww_ coming from the rest of the table, they both broke eye contact, soft smiles on their faces as they turned towards the family that just could not give them a moment's peace.

"What needs to get done still?" Santi queried.

Luke sat up straight in his seat, bringing his arm from the back of Penelope's chair to the table. "It's not much anymore. It's mostly just the rest of the shelving units, paint, and I suppose all the finishing touches."

"If we come help, couldn't you get done in like two days then?" Marcos glanced up from his phone.

"I suppose so. Hoyt was worried when he lost two of his most experienced guys, but they had the structure in place already, so it's just a matter of manpower to make good time, but none of you have to do that."

"Nonsense. It's a local library. We've already donated some time. We already planned not to work as much with Sis here, so why not?" Santi shrugged and pouted his lips.

"Yes, that's no problem. Plus then you can help us next week when we have to build that unit for our new order." Arturo brought his water glass to his lips to take a sip.

"Dad!" Penelope tried to scold him for being so presumptuous.

"What? Your boyfriend will get more time with you still because we'll be in the workshop. You can just walk outside and see him." Arturo defended.

"You can't just put him to work like that!" Penelope protested.

"The hell I can't. We all contribute in this family, and, if he's going to feel my daughter up in the basement, the least the man can do is put together some cabinets."

Penelope rolled her eyes. "What exactly do I contribute?" She chose to ignore the other comments.

"Comic relief," Juan suggested, to which Penelope gave him a death stare in return.

"Ay, mija, you're the reason we play 'Santa Doesn't Know' and the reason why we have the year in review. You make us connect with each other. You're the heart of the operation," Arturo said firmly but casually. "Besides I don't trust you with a hammer."

Luke was laughing, and Penelope playfully slapped his chest. "I would be happy to help," Luke said after he'd pretended to be hurt by her playful jab. "I'm sure that Brian would be ecstatic if he saw me walk in with all of you tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it," Santi said as he raised his glass with whatever frozen fruit concoction his mother had insisted on.

"Yeah, even I can come help. I may have chosen not to do it for a living, but I can still construct things." Git took another sip of his beverage as he leaned over his glass, playfully biting the straw.

"Great, that's all settled. I'll pack you lunches when we get back. Now can everyone quiet down. I want to hear my song." Flora was gazing past them all towards the studly guitar player that was currently singing.

"Like I'm not even here," Arturo told Luke. " _And_ I got her the good seats." He shook his head, bringing his water glass back to his lips.


	19. Chapter 19

I still don't plan on writing any more Garvez and no I haven't watched CM the past couple weeks because, no thank you. I haven't gotten to responding to some of you, that is my fault, I haven't been feeling so great. Please be patient with me. 'Movies' will be updated soon.

* * *

"Hoyt, I brought some backup," Luke hollered at the man who was currently unloading some shelving units with his wife from the back of a truck.

"What? What is this?" Hoyt smiled at the group that disembarked the truck and the car that Luke was currently borrowing. "I thought you went after a girl, and you brought five men back. I think you did it wrong." Hoyt strolled to Arturo, shaking his hand first before going down the line.

"This is Git," Luke said as Hoyt got to the last man, introducing him because he knew he was the only one he hadn't met since the others all delivered the unit they'd worked on. "So the girl, she is their sister and daughter, respectively."

Hoyt was befuddled, but he had a grin. "Explain please."

"Well, that's a fun story. Uh Penelope, she is American and blonde, but the Garcia's here uh-they…" Luke regarded them, wondering exactly how much and what he should say.

"We are her family, we grew up near her in California, and then, when her biological parents died, she came to live with us. She's our sister in every way except the blondeness," Santi spoke up.

"Okay, gotcha but still confused. You didn't know she was down here right?" Hoyt asked with only a partial furrowed brow.

"There is no explanation. Neither of us told the other where we were going. It just happened to be to the same country, in the same state. I'm not so sure on that one," Luke revealed, contemplatively.

"Seriously, this sounds like a cheesy movie that Cindy makes me watch at Christmas. If you tell her all of this, she is going to lose her shit and start planning your wedding immediately. She's definitely going to spout some crap about meant to be and uh, what's the other one? Soul mates."

"Let's not tell Cindy then," Marcos remarked from his spot next to Git.

"Let's not tell Cindy what?" The person in question wandered up, putting her hand on Brian's back. "Brian," she said sternly.

"Crap," he rolled his eyes. "The girl Alvez was obsessed with is visiting her family that lives not even a stone's throw from here."

Cindy gasped, her mouth falling open and a gleam in her eyes. "Oh my God! That's the best thing that I've ever heard. Why didn't you tell me this already? Alvez never has a girlfriend, and you're telling me this now?"

"I'm sorry, Cin. What exactly were you going to do with this information if you had it earlier? What are you going to do with it now?" Luke asked her amused.

She put her hands on her hips. "That's not the point. There doesn't need to be a plan for the information, Alvez. But that's news, so why wouldn't you tell us? Actually, you having a girlfriend is kind of news in itself."

"Really? This is interesting." Juan waved his hand to encourage her to expand on what she said.

"Oh yeah, Alvez would just ignore all the girls. They would be chasing after him, and he wouldn't even realize they were there. He was breaking hearts in every country, but he didn't even know about it. Ooh! There was this one girl who tried to drunkenly grab him and kiss him, but she slipped. Alvez picked her up like a knight in shining armor. She thought he was going to kiss her, but all he did was set her on a couch, hand her friend a towel full of ice for her elbow, and then he asked Brian to go get midnight pancakes. I was sort of thinking you were gay," Cindy finished.

"I'm thoroughly intrigued by this information," Git said. "So Luke just _never_ dated?"

Brian and Cindy looked at each other. "I've never met any girlfriends, and he didn't pay attention to anyone at all, so, wow, yeah. Have you ever even gone on a date since I've known you?" Hoyt's face was creased again as if he was trying to figure out an incredibly hard math problem.

"I'm right here. You know that, right?" Luke said to Hoyt.

"Okay, then tell me about all those girlfriends you brought home? Because they're slipping my mind." Cindy decided to not let Luke answer and addressed the others. "So where's your sister then? I really need to meet her."

"She's at home with Mom, probably obsessing over some telenovela they both claim they've never seen," Santi said.

"If we can get this done, then she can come to the finishing celebration, and we can see that she's real for ourselves," Brian said.

"Then what are you all doing just standing around then? Go, go, go, go, go." Cindy first pushed at Brian, and then Luke, and then patted whomever was closest on the shoulder until all of them were moving towards the building to start on the project.

….

"Wow, what are we going to do with ourselves? Our next project isn't supposed to start for another week and a half." Brian had spoken to Cindy even though he was standing in front of the entire group of Garcias and Luke.

"Right, so when does Penelope get here?" Cindy inquired.

The whole group smiled at this woman's insistence that Penelope must be the best thing since sliced bread. But none of them were inclined to disagree. "We still have things to finish. We're still going to need most of tomorrow, and, by the way, doesn't that celebration party actually need to get planned?" Luke uttered, amused at this whole thing.

"Alvez, you have a girlfriend. As far as I'm concerned, this is the only thing I need to focus on. I'll buy some food, throw it on a table, get a balloon, and call it a day. We can do this tomorrow. I mean, can't we?" Cindy turned to Brian asking the last question.

Brian gave a sigh but smiled at her. "Yes, we probably can, as long as we get everything done tomorrow."

"We'll be happy to come back tomorrow," Arturo interjected with a smile. "I think my daughter would be very pleased with all of us if we make sure her boyfriend is free to enjoy vacation."

"So, she _is_ your girlfriend then?" Hoyt questioned.

Luke stopped for a moment, not knowing how to answer the question. They hadn't actually said that. In fact, they actually hadn't said exactly what anything was at all. "Uh- well, uh."

"Yes," Juan answered. "They better be or else he was feeling my sister up just for kicks the other night."

"Yeah, come on. You're staying with her and her family for a month. She better be your girlfriend because, if not, you got roped into a shit gig," Git said as he stole Marcos' water bottle, his own now empty.

Both Brian and Cindy laughed. "I actually was thinking I would eventually have to go back to my own apartment after a while, but I was going to give it to you two if you wanted, but if you can't even say she's your girlfriend..." Santi teased.

"Seriously, which one of you is the dummy who doesn't know you're dating yet?" Marcos asked as he grabbed Luke's water bottle from him, making him laugh, but he quickly turned serious.

"I- we just didn't really want to talk about it yet. Back home it's not that simple. There's a lot going on, and we- if it weren't for this break, we'd still be dancing around each other. Our jobs are our lives, and dating in the same unit... Plus the fact that I go into the field, and she stays behind… Sometimes she has to be on the com with me while I'm literally getting shot at. Is that fair to her?" He wasn't trying to be so serious, but these are all things he'd thought about among many others.

"Didn't you tell my wife that you always tried to be safe?" Arturo narrowed his eyes at Luke, not in anger but in interest at this information.

Luke nodded. "And we do, but I can't tell you how many life threatening situations we've been through. You all know that though." Luke scanned the family standing before him. "You have to know that, between when Penelope was the target of the assassins or when she was shot-"

"Penelope was shot?" Santi shot up from the seat he had taken on the bench.

The other three brothers were just as shocked, eyeballing Luke and waiting for an answer. He saw fear written on their faces, even though they all knew their sister was only a few miles away, probably knitting something. He glanced to Arturo who looked like he was in physical pain from the news. "I- I- you didn't know that? She didn't tell you?" Luke was upset that he frightened them, but also upset that maybe he revealed something Penelope didn't want shared.

"Does it look like we knew that? Are these the faces of people in the know?" Juan asked sarcastically but not with any anger.

"Look, I'm sorry. I definitely thought you knew. It was a decade ago. I didn't even know her then. I just assumed. She's obviously fine, and she hasn't been-" He cut his sentence short. If he said she hadn't been in danger since, then it would be a lie. If he said she hadn't been shot again, that was hardly comforting.

"What were these assassins?" Santi still had fear etched on his face.

"I think I've said too much. I overestimated how much she was sharing. It's hard to picture her shutting you out so much even though you all told me. It doesn't seem possible to me now, knowing you all."

Arturo's face had softened. He was still upset, but there was little he could do about past events, and this isn't the light-hearted conversation they were supposed to be having right now. "It's not your fault. It's partially ours-"

"You mean mine," Git said exasperated.

"No, I mean we all had roles to play, and I'm upset with all of us, and her for not calling us when she needed us. And I'm upset with her for not sharing about her work. We can handle it. We are going to fix this even if it kills us." He was so sure about himself it placated Luke for a moment.

"I will say, I didn't think that she was in that much danger, and I didn't imagine you were in ten times that much," Juan said contemplatively.

Luke took a deep breath. "I think I'm going to be in a lot of danger tonight." He crossed his arms as he contemplated the ground.

All the people around him laughed, but he didn't feel like he was joking. He was actually quite terrified of Penelope's possible reaction.

"In that case, we should let you guys go because I'm going to need to hear about that tomorrow." Hoyt clapped Luke on the back and took Cindy's hand, who was smiling at Luke with an air of wisdom of a woman who knew he was going to be in some deep shit.

"Yup. Let's go, mijo. I'd like to see what you two are like when you fight. It's got to be fun." Arturo glided towards the cars, the others following him.

"I'm making popcorn. For once I won't be the biggest asshole in the house." Git happily moved towards the vehicles. Luke stretched his neck uncomfortably hoping there would be a traffic jam of epic proportions on the way home.

* * *

I always appreciate the reviews, favs, follows. I still will even if I am not writing anything new.

Thanks to BookDragon2013 and Thomais.


	20. Chapter 20

I have stayed true to my word and not watched CM. I also deleted it from my DVR. I heard it was a terrible episode last night. I did Tweet along with some others so make sure if you're on Twitter, you Tweet the writers or go like and retweet the garvez tweets so they are forced to see them. But Yes, I am glad I stayed away from CM.

I have the one shot coming out soon. And will update 'Movies' soon. my life has been a mess and I haven't gotten to all of your reviews or messages but I am grateful for them. I was going to put the one shot up today but I know this chapter should be a crowd pleaser and I know many of you are not happy after the episode. Thank you everyone.

* * *

All the boys and Arturo plodded into the house, taking off their shoes and dirty shirts and leaving them in the laundry basket Flora had left by the door so that they wouldn't track the dirt into her house. Luke followed suit, kicking off his shoes and adding his shirt to the pile. When he came around the corner into the living room, he saw Penelope at the kitchen table with her knitting in her hand sitting next to her mom.

The others had given greetings and retrieved glasses of water. Usually, they would be fighting to see who could get to the shower first, which is why Flora kissed her husband when he came over to her and then immediately questioned them. "What is wrong? The project didn't go okay?"

"Oh no, are you more behind than you thought?" Penelope's face was the picture of sweetness.

"No, mija. We actually got so much done today with all of us that we think we can get your boyfriend free for vacation after tomorrow," Arturo answered her.

"That's great news then, right?" The sweet confusion on her face made Luke wince.

"Uh yes, _that_ is, but I may have..." Luke glanced to the five amused faces leaning on the counter or standing near the kitchen table. "I may have revealed a little more about the job than I should've." His eyes returned to Penelope.

She set down her knitting, sitting up straight, paying rapt attention. "How so? We have a lot of things that are clearance confidential," she said knowing that was probably not the thing he would let slip.

"Right, and I know what our clearance means and exactly how little we can say, about _that_." He glanced again at the smirking faces around the kitchen. "Maybe we should talk about this alone," he said hopefully.

Before every other person in the room was able to object, Penelope stared straight at him. "No, Newbie. Actually, I'd quite like to hear about this right here."

He saw the Penelope he first met crawling back to the surface. He brought his hand to the back of his neck in a nervous motion. "So I didn't realize exactly how much you didn't talk to your family, and I might have told them about the Dirty Dozen thing and possibly the Clark Battle thing." He was wincing in preparation for the fallout. Her eyes narrowed at him.

She took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes and giving him one last evil glare before turning to her family. "And I assume it's now up to me to give an explanation?"

The nods from everyone in the room besides Flora made Penelope irritated and scared. "Mija, what is this about?" Flora was now very worried.

Penelope straightened her shoulders. "I want to preface this by saying it was ten years ago." She put her hand over Flora's. "I- this guy asked me out. He seemed nice. I went on a date with him. At that time, I was counseling victim's families in my off time. I flagged a few cases in the system in hopes that the locals would make them a priority. If they knew we were monitoring them, it was technically not in my job description to do so. But the guy who asked me out, he was actually a dirty cop. He was the one who had committed some of those unsolved murders, and he thought I was after him, but I didn't know there was any connection at the time." She paused and looked toward Luke, who had heard this story and had been upset and hurt, and who had asked her multiple times to explain it, and also asked JJ about it and Rossi, wanting verbal confirmation that they had seen the man die.

"The guy thought she knew he was responsible. He would commit a crime, and then be the first responder. He was a narcissist that needed awards and attention. It was his way of getting that." Luke helped her story along.

"And you dated this man?" Flora asked her other hand over her heart.

"No, not- we only went on one date, and, at the end of the date, instead of a good night kiss, I _may_ have been shot," Penelope said the last part in a low voice, hoping that they wouldn't hear it."

"Dios mio!" Flora brought her hand up to bless herself.

Penelope quickly made her voice heard. "I made it, clearly, and, within a few days, he was dead. He's gone and has been for ten years. All I have from it is a faded scar from my surgery. I promise I'm fine." She surveyed the others, reassuring them as well.

"And what about the rest of it? Assassins, Bicho, say it isn't so," Santi said.

Penelope glared at Luke before turning to the various members of her family. "Look, you all, I love you, but I can't explain every single time I've been in trouble." She heard most of the people in the room gasp. She held her hand up. "It's been a few, but, you know what, it's a hell of a lot less than Luke and the rest of the team, and I would never walk away from it all without good reason because they risk their lives to save so many others, and, when that's asked of me, I do it too. I'm happy to do so by the way. I need to do something that matters, and I'm lucky enough to be part of something that allows me to do that. We've caught more serial killers, we've saved more lives than anyone will ever be allowed to know, and the risk, it's hard. Sometimes it feels impossible, but somebody has to do it, and not only am I capable of it but so is everyone else we work with. Sometimes I save them, sometimes they save me, but we all trust each other to bring everyone home every time and that's what we try to do."

They all surveyed her. She studied their faces. She saw pride in all of her brother's faces. Turning to Arturo, she saw pride mixed with concern. Flora was also proud, but the tears in her eyes showed just how much she'd rather be able to just protect her and wrap her up in a bubble. "We will try to understand, mi nina, pero I don't think I will ever be okay with it." Flora gripped her hand.

"We trust you, Sis. If you say you can do it, then we believe you." Juan tilted his head at her as he leaned on the counter with his forearms.

"Si, pero, if you ever feel like you need to leave that all behind, that's okay too. We will always be proud of you. We always were." Arturo came around his wife to lean over and give Penelope a kiss on her forehead. "Even in your goth phase."

Everyone laughed. Penelope got up to hug all of them individually before turning to Luke. The smile she'd given the rest of the room had vanished. "Can I see you in my room for a minute?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Still not allowed in your room alone with boys." Arturo was beaming behind her, watching Luke who seemed to be quite fearful.

"C'mon, Dad. There is no way he's getting any today." Git was now seated on one of the kitchen stools, slicing an apple and stuffing a piece of it in his mouth.

"He's in so much deep shit," Marcos agreed, picking up a piece of the cut up fruit.

"Language!"

"Fine, we'll go downstairs." She moved towards the door that led to the room he'd previously been quite a fan of. He stayed in his spot, hoping that if he didn't move, it might all go away. When he saw her whirl around, he put his hand to the back of his neck one more time before following her towards the hall.

"Well, this should be fun," Santi announced to the room.

….

His feet hit the bottom step, and he began explaining immediately. "Penelope, it was an accident. Sincerely, I don't know why I assumed they'd know. I guess it was hard for me to picture you truly being away from these people even though you told me as much, and I knew you still kept in touch, just not as much as you should've so I guess I thought they would've known, come to see you. I really am sorry for saying something out of turn." He pleaded with her.

She huffed. "Well, you're making it pretty hard to yell at you if you apologize for exactly all the reasons that I am upset before I say them." She tried to show him anger, but as she crossed her arms across her chest, her eyes showed her reluctance to be upset anymore. "But yes, you weren't thinking, and it stinks that I had to tell them something I wasn't ready to. I don't want them to worry."

"I understand. I hate that people have to be affected by what we do. That's how the whole thing came up. Hoyt and his wife want you to come to the party to celebrate finishing the library. Between them and your family, they were debating if you were my girlfriend, and I got all serious for a minute about what a relationship means with our job, and it was mentioned in passing when I was trying to explain why it's so hard. I didn't mean to. I was just thinking out loud." He peered at her sincerely, stepping towards her.

She nodded. "I guess I get that." She took a step towards him as well. "But don't let it happen again." She tried to sound commanding, but she knew that wasn't easy for her to pull off.

"There is one thing I disagree about. I don't think that you didn't tell them because you weren't ready. I think you're very much ready, but you still have some qualms about letting them in all the way. I know you can't tell them everything, but they deserve to know what you do and how well you do it." He stepped towards her, tilting his head with a smile forming on his lips.

She still had her arms crossed, trying to maintain her indignance, but, as he got closer to her, she felt herself wavering. He was still a little sweaty from working, and his shirt was off which made the whole thing nearly impossible. She had been distracted even when they were upstairs, but the initial anger helped her keep her attention on the problem. Now they were alone, and he was not only apologetic but understanding, which meant that his near nakedness and his advancing steps towards her made her truly unable to remember why she had just been upset with him moments ago. "You know fighting with your shirt off is completely unfair."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want to take yours off too?" His face was serious, but there was a gleam in his eye. He took the final few steps towards her, only inches from her now, her crossed arms touching his bare chest.

She inhaled deeply which was a mistake because she ended up with her lungs full of the smell that told her Luke was nearby, but this time with an extra hint of sweat, and she didn't realize until that moment how much she enjoyed it. "That doesn't sound fair."

"Oh, you're right. It wouldn't be." He used his hand to uncross her arms, pulling her into him and kissing her soundly. His hands ran up her arm to her shoulder and then down over her left breast, which instantly made her nipple harden, her core wet, and her mouth moan.

He pulled back to look at her. His eyes darkened with desire, and he saw her face mirroring his feelings. "Luke," she whispered his name, her lips only an inch from his. He ran his hand down her dress to find the hem, remembering how much he loved her in skimpy summer dresses and making a mental note to always turn up the heat at his house.

He lifted the skirt, letting his hand run along her panty line and feeling her shiver from his touch because it certainly wasn't from the warm surroundings. He let his fingers slowly move her underwear down an inch. He scanned her face, seeing her holding her breath in anticipation of his touch. He watched her eyes. She didn't shy away, so he let his fingers dip into her underwear. His fingertips barely touched her clitoris, but she grabbed onto his arms trying to steady herself even from the minimal contact. He had to bite his lip, something he rarely did, as he let his fingers move lower, feeling the wetness there. His eyes flickered. "Penelope, is that for me?" he asked in a low, lust-filled voice.

She could barely speak. She thought she had nodded, but she wasn't sure, but either way, he knew the answer, as he let his fingers push into her slowly. He felt her nails dig into his biceps, making him growl at her. He used his thumb to run back over her clitoris and alternated between that and pushing his fingers into her. He was watching her face still, and she attempted to keep eye contact, but she knew she was going to lose that battle soon enough. He moved his thumb in a circular motion faster as he saw her lose her battle with gravity, feeling her legs begin to shake. He pushed her swiftly against the wall that was only a foot behind them, his body and the wall holding her steady. He brought his other hand up to her throat, keeping her from letting her head fall forward. Still watching her face, he brought his close to hers, breathing her in. She finally let go, a moan coming to her lips as she felt the orgasm take over, feeling like she blacked out momentarily.

As soon as her eyes closed and her moan began, he recaptured her lips, trying to stifle the rest of the pleasure filled yell and assuming that she wouldn't want to be further embarrassed in front of her family if they figured out what that was. As soon as she began returning the kiss, he knew she was recovering. He pulled his hand from her and brought it up, seeing the liquid all over his fingers and then watching her eyes as he licked it off. Her eyes narrowed in on his mouth as he did so.

"Hey, if you two are done arguing, the shower is open," Marcos called down, and then they heard the door close again.

"Guess they didn't hear you." Luke gave her a self-satisfied smile.

"The basement is nice that way. It's why the big tv is down here, so it doesn't bother everyone upstairs. Still not soundproof," she answered in a low voice, still recovering from her orgasm and the visual of him licking her off of his fingers.

"Guess I should go shower."

She nodded numbly. "Dinner will be soon."

He smirked. "Dessert was already good. Want some?" He leaned into her, kissing her again, letting her taste herself on his lips. He felt her moan on his mouth, and her fingers traveled to his hair holding his lips close to her. She was going to get this going again if he let her. "There are still rules, here."

"Didn't we just break them?"

"No, we are getting away on a technicality."


	21. Chapter 21

I am still a mess. Like a gigantic mess. The email reminders did nudge me so here is an update that didnt take forever to get out.

* * *

"So you're all going to be done tomorrow? That will be very nice for your friend to have some down time." Flora was speaking to Luke across the dinner table.

He was taking a sip of his drink before he responded. "I hope he treats Cindy to a few days of relaxation. She never ever complains, and Brian never slows down."

"She seemed like such a riot. She's very interested in meeting you, Loca," Juan told Penelope.

Penelope tilted her head in question. "What? Why?"

"Apparently Luke has never had a girlfriend before." Marcos smiled at her. "So sad, so tragic."

Penelope turned to Luke. "What is he talking about?"

Luke gave Marcos a death stare for a moment before turning to her. "I've known Brian for about twenty years. I've never introduced him to anybody. That's all." Luke shrugged, trying not to make a big deal out of it.

"That doesn't mean he didn't have girlfriends," Penelope informed Marcos.

"True, but… it sounded like they were thoroughly intrigued that he had even noticed a woman that he might actually like." Santi gave Luke a mischievous smile.

Luke had taken to giving all of the other men in the room dirty looks, seeing as how they were all going to throw him under the bus here.

"So it's sort of like that waitress the other day. You didn't even notice until it was thrown in your face. How does that work, mijo?" Arturo was grinning innocently at him.

Luke cleared his throat. "I've gone out and things. Cindy even set me up years ago." He tried to explain that this was not a big deal. He was feeling embarrassed because, at this point, if Penelope knew how much he really liked her, he was scared it might send her packing.

Git was enjoying the commotion until a thought popped into his head. "Wait, have you been, like, celibate? That takes some willpower," Git remarked, never one to have a filter.

Luke cleared his throat, not knowing if there was any good way to answer that question. "Like I said I've had dates in my adult life." He was purposely keeping himself shut off, hoping that it would make this all go away, but, as he'd learned in the past few days, that was not how this worked.

"Dates aren't relationships." Juan smirked.

Luke narrowed his eyes at him. Just yesterday this man was very much on his side, and he thought they were bonding. "True."

Penelope glanced around the room at the other people taking in their knowing faces. "What? I don't understand. What is…" She trailed off, not comprehending that they were all trying to let her know just how important she was to Luke. "So what? You're like really bad at commitment?" She squinted at Luke and then back to the others. It was like they were trying to warn her, but they thought it was funny, which wasn't like them, considering their protective nature.

Luke still knew there was no good way to answer any of this. "I supposed I've never had a serious relationship, but that doesn't mean I'm not good at commitment. It means I haven't tried it." He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully and trying to sort out what Penelope could possibly be thinking right now.

Penelope was thoroughly confused. She glanced between Luke and the others. "I know Em had profiled you were a loner when you first started." She was wondering if that's what he was trying to tell her. That this whole thing would be too tough for him to maintain when they were back home. He could only do this as long as he knew there was an end in sight.

"I suppose I have been sometimes. Working on our team was an adjustment, initially," he said diplomatically, hoping they could stray from this subject.

"That doesn't explain anything. Why have you never introduced anyone to your friends?" Santi asked.

"I don't live anywhere near Brian. I don't see him all that often," he explained.

"Okay, but he said he's never heard of a girlfriend at all, so does that mean you've introduced girls to your other friends?" Marcos quizzed.

Luke shook his head. "No, I suppose not." He sat forward in his chair, resigning himself to the fact that he would have to say something definitive to get them away from this subject before they ran his girl off before she was even his girl. "I've dated here and there, but nothing ever seemed important enough to do some big introduction, so I never did."

The others were about to lay off, but his statement made Penelope fearful that her initial assessment of him from years ago might be true. "So, you just date, but don't take it seriously?" Each word came out slowly as she tried not to sound too sad.

Luke scratched the back of his head nervously, knowing this is not where he wanted this to go. "No, Chica, you already accused me of that long ago. It never panned out, remember? I wasn't acting like a player. It's just that nothing ever turned serious. It wasn't because I wouldn't let it. It was because it just never did." He knew it was vague, but what was he supposed to say, other girls bore me, but I've been waiting around for you for two years.

Penelope blinked trying to take that in and take him at his word. Luke had proven over and over again that he was a good guy. If he was terrible at relationships, hopefully, it was never intentional. She gave him a small smile, indicating that he didn't have to continue to talk about any of this for her sake.

The others had mostly been rolling their eyes at the two of them tiptoeing around each other. Neither really talked about or came to the same conclusion, so Git, with his signature subtlety, asked, "So, either of you boned anyone else since you've known each other?" He put a large forkful of food in his mouth, chewing loudly as he glanced between the two people that were now staring at him. He held his fork out to the side. "Well?" he encouraged.

Both of them kept their eyes laser focused on Git, but they both started fidgeting in their chairs as no one else seemed to want to interrupt when they desperately needed them to. Penelope peeked over her glasses at her mother who was happily eating and pretending not to know this is when she was supposed to be on her side. Penelope finally took a short breath but squared her shoulders. "I have not been in a relationship recently." She squinted at Git.

He was still chewing loudly as he observed them. "Hmm, but Juan established that dates aren't relationships, nor is it an answer to my question."

One of Penelope's eyes closed in frustration as she tried to take a deep breath. "Mom, Dad, is this something we should be discussing?" she asked innocently.

Both Arturo and Flora had been concentrating on their plates, pretending not to think this was a very interesting revelation indeed. "Huh? What was that, mija? Oh, you and your brother talk about what you want. Don't mind us." Flora gave Penelope an innocent smile and then let her eyes fall back to her plate.

Penelope narrowed her eyes at her before turning back to her brothers, all of whom were smirking. Santi even put his elbows on the table, his hands clasped and his chin resting on them waiting for an answer. "Why would you want to know that if I'm your sister?" She knew it was a dirty card to play, but she had run out of options.

Juan set his fork down. "Uh, okay," he turned to Marcos. "Did you sleep with that girl from the mall you met last month?"

"She was the bench girl," Marcos answered back.

Juan turned back to Penelope. "We don't want details. We're asking logistics."

Penelope gritted her teeth. "Fine, Juan. I broke up with my last boyfriend a couple years ago, and I have not actually gone out with anyone since." She held her hand up, as she saw a couple of objections coming her way about her wording. "Since I'm not into hiring escorts and things, yes, that means that I have not, ya know. Happy?" She crossed her arms over her chest, so angry that they managed to get information out of her. Couldn't she just walk away from the table? She had not thought this through.

"Great. Luke?" Git took another bite of his food.

Penelope was actually quite interested in this answer herself, although she would not admit it. She could save him, but she was choosing not to for selfish reasons. All of a sudden, she was pretty okay with the current invasive line of questioning.

Luke's eyes darted in between Juan and Santi, hoping one of them would at least save him since they seemed to be the more mature of the bunch, but, seeing their inquisitive eyes and seeing Penelope's anger waver as she averted her eyes, he resigned himself to answering. "I haven't had any time to see anyone since joining the BAU, and I am also not into hiring escorts." Luke took a sip from his drink after answering.

The wide smiles of everyone at the table made Luke want to laugh at them, but he refused to do so. Instead, he tried to see Penelope's reaction out of the corner of his eye. Both Flora and Arturo smiled at each other but said nothing as they continued to pretend that they were not a part of this conversation. "No wonder you two were willing to get frisky with us in the room," Juan remarked.

"Yeah, how are you two even functioning?" Santi asked them, his eyes genuinely inquisitive.

Luke glanced between the two brothers he, moments ago, thought were the more mature of the bunch. "I don't think you understand how much we work." He gave the excuse but even he knew that was flimsy. A one night stand by definition would only take one of their nights off.

"Right, yeah, half of the team is chronically single, there's two married people on the team, and that's double the normal number," Penelope excused.

"Yeah, but you don't have to be married to..." Marcos raised his eyebrows at them.

"Good point," Git said as he pointed his fork at the two of them again. "We're not asking why you're not married. We're asking why you haven't got it on."

"Seriously are we not done with this conversation yet?" Penelope's voice started raising an octave.

"Just dinner conversation, Penelope. Geesh." Marcos rolled his eyes at her.

"This is most decidedly not dinner conversation," Penelope countered.

"Nonsense. We're conversing over dinner. That's literally what we're doing now. Besides, I think it's best if we get this all out in the open," Juan told her. "I'd really like to know more about why neither of you has-"

"Boned. Other people, but especially each other," Marcos finished the thought.

"Since you all apparently just met me for the first time and know nothing about me, I'll tell you that I'm not the type to randomly sleep with people just to make myself feel better," Penelope said.

"Then once again, I ask the question, how do you explain Shane?" Git asked exasperated.

"Terrible decisions are not the same as random mistakes," Penelope countered.

"Luke?" Santi questioned.

He knew this was coming. He actually let his eyes graze over Arturo who already knew he'd been captivated by his daughter for a long time and then to Juan who had a knowing smirk on his face as well. "I wasn't interested in random mistakes either, and, like I said, work doesn't make the serious stuff easy."

Penelope was over this conversation, and most of her dinner was gone. "Okay, I'll clean up then." She stood up, grabbing her plate and then picking up Git's. He was still eating, and he grabbed the last of his taco in his big hands as she swiped the plate out from under it.

Everyone found her behavior hilarious except for Luke who was equally self-conscious about the topic of conversation. He turned to Arturo as he finally returned to the conversation. "Well, I almost feel bad you're staying here now, but still not in my house." He scooped up a spoonful of rice.

Luke couldn't help but smile. He understood, and he was almost a little bit guilty about having done what they did earlier, but he didn't break the rules, technically. He turned to Juan, hoping that now that he'd had enough fun he would help him out here. Juan nodded at him. "Alright, alright, so we only have some painting and some books to put up tomorrow. I have no doubt Cindy will have enough time for her party. Should we plan on coming back here to change and get Ma and Sis before that?"

"You're right. I think we'll be done early. Cin won't start the bash until eight, so, if you ladies want to be ready by seven thirty, we should be good to go." Penelope glanced over her shoulder from her place in front of the sink. "That is if you want to go," Luke amended cautiously.

Santi rolled his eyes. "Of course she wants to go. She can be with you, and also, if Cindy doesn't meet her tomorrow, I have a feeling we're all going to pay heavily for it." Santi walked to the sink with his dish, putting it in the sink and kissing Penelope on the cheek.

"What's the movie for tonight?" Marcos asked as he dropped his plate in the sink as well.

"I don't want to watch anything with you people." Penelope flicked the scrubber at Marcos, getting his back wet as he hopped away from her.

"Oh please, they'll both be down there feeling each other up under the blanket in no time." Juan followed his brother's lead and set his dish down before darting behind the kitchen island to avoid the water she was splashing everywhere.

Luke brought his plate over, setting it down and picking up a towel to start drying the dishes she was washing. He took a quick glance at her and then back over his shoulder. He saw Arturo waiting for Flora to be done with her food, not wanting to leave her alone. They were quietly making conversation. He smiled at them. "Your parents are so in love. How long have they been together?"

Her hands were scrubbing the back of a plate, as she thought. "Hmm, a little more than forty years." She handed him the dripping plate.

He took it in his hands, moving in a circular motion as he spoke. "That's amazing. They both look so young. You think it's because they're so happy?"

It was Penelope's turn to look over her shoulder at them. She smiled as she saw Arturo steal a pepper from Flora's plate. "Maybe, I can imagine being with the person you love all the time would cut down on the stress." She sighed wistfully.

"I bet it would." His eyes were shining as he kept his sight trained on the task in front of him. "You make me feel pretty stress free."

She let her hand stop for a moment, biting her lip and then resuming. "I thought I drove you nuts."

He chuckled. "Only sometimes, but not for the reason you think. When you're trying to be a pain in my ass, I actually find it to be very fun." He finally looked over and smiled down at her.

She felt his gaze on her, and she turned to look up at him. "I can't believe I failed so much." Her shy smile made him scan her face searching for any hint of judgment from their earlier conversation. Seeing nothing but her apprehension about what he was thinking, he gave her a small smile before leaning over and kissing her again.

Both of their hands were otherwise occupied, but somehow they still managed to get lost in the moment. He even heard a small moan come from her before a laughing voice came from behind them. "Hey, I can't condone this behavior." Arturo was not far from them now as he brought the remaining two plates over to the sink.

The two people pulled away from each other, slightly embarrassed. "I thought you told me to kiss her." Luke joked with him as he took the dirty plates from his hands.

"I don't know if I said exactly that." Arturo slapped him on the back before turning to his wife. "We're leaving at seven in the morning sharp. Tell the boys." He grabbed Flora's hand and started walking her towards their bedroom which was the opposite direction of the rest of the house.

"Dad, it's only eight," Penelope said as if he were ridiculous.

"Hey, as the only people in this house that are married, we can spend our evening doing anything we want," he answered back, not stopping his movements.

Penelope made a disgusted face at them. Flora turned around as she was being dragged behind her husband. "Luke, don't let them forget their lunches." She waited for Luke's nod before continuing towards their bedroom.

Penelope and Luke turned to each other with blushes on their cheeks. Penelope bit her lip. "Guess it probably helps that they still want each other," she quietly said to him.

"Luke, mijo, remember the rules. I won't be coming to check on you tonight," Arturo shouted from the room down the hallway before they heard the door shut.

Penelope's blush deepened, her cheeks fully pink now. Luke stayed quiet as he watched her finish the last dish. She handed it to him before using the faucet to rinse the sink. He quickly dried the plate in his hand and then threw the towel on the counter. She was running a towel along the edge of the counter to get any escaped water. He swiftly turned her around, her butt to the counter. His face close to hers. "Penelope, I don't want you to think I'm some kind of anti-social weirdo."

"Huh?" She questioned him. His face was close to hers, and she found herself craving his lips. She wondered what he could possibly be talking about since the only thing in her mind was when she could taste his mouth again.

He shook his head. "Nevermind." He brought his hands to the back of her thighs and lifted her to the counter.

She wrapped her legs around him as he leaned in and captured her lips. Both of them let their tongues out immediately. She moaned again as he let his hands run up her outer thighs and then back down again. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, holding him close. He let his fingertips run back up the skin of her legs, pushing at the already short skirt. Her legs tightened around his hips, making him growl at her. "You're the one that won't stop touching my legs," she breathed at him.

He silently chuckled. "Yeah, well, have you seen them?" He started placing kisses on her neck and chest.

She let out a doubtful laugh. "At least I know why you're so excited about all of this now."

He pulled back quickly, giving her a vexed gaze. "What are you talking about?"

She shook her head. "Uh, I, nothing- I just, was making a joke about, ya know."

He let his eyes roam over her resolved face. "Penelope." He took a step away from her, making her legs fall and hang against the drawers below. "What do you mean by that?"

She could see the perplexion on his face and more than that she could see the concern. She suddenly felt very self-conscious about her joke. It portrayed the doubt she had about herself. Her confidence rarely wavered, but, when she was thinking of the fact that Luke hadn't dated lately, it made a lot more sense to her why he was so interested in her. He didn't have the time nor the ability to go out and date, but she was readily available. She did know that they had a certain amount of chemistry, but the mean-bully part of her brain sometimes came to the forefront and made her think that this was Alvez, and there was no one that wouldn't have chemistry with someone so pretty. "I just- I was just making a joke about if it's been so long it's no wonder you're so excited about…" She trailed off, but her hands almost gestured towards herself, but she let them fall to her lap instead.

Luke stepped back again, making her feel the loss of him, which made her feel like she was very lonely all of a sudden. "Maybe we should head downstairs for that movie." He put his hand out to help her take the small hop off the counter.

She was utterly confused. They had just shared so much at dinner with the whole family, but now it upset him that she brought it up again? "Okay," she murmured. Despite constantly badgering him when they first met, she had never actually felt like she crossed any sort of line, never felt like she'd actually upset him.

They went downstairs to join the others who were watching some action movie that she was sure she should've known. Luke sat next to her, but he never touched her, and, when the movie was over, he grabbed her hand, following the lead of the others as they retreated upstairs to go to bed. He kissed her goodnight. It was not very long or deep. She gave him a curt nod before opening her bedroom door and watching him walk to Juan's door. He turned back to give her a small smile before they both went into their respective beds for the night.

….

Penelope woke up when she heard the shuffling in the hallway. Everyone but her and Flora were leaving early, so she didn't bother to get up and hog any of the bathroom time. She told herself that's why she didn't leave her room, but then what was her excuse when she got up yesterday to make sure she could say goodbye to them? And by them, she meant Luke. But her restless sleep and the weirdness of the night before made her want to stay curled up in bed. As she picked up her phone from the nightstand to check the time, it was just after seven. She heard a quiet knock on the door. The boys must've left already. "I'm getting up, Mom. Just not feeling so good."

She saw the doorknob turning as she clutched her phone in one hand and the blanket in the other. "You don't feel good?" Luke's soft voice questioned her from the partially opened doorway.

He was sort of blurry, but she squinted and took in his concerned face, and she cursed how he could look so good in an old t-shirt so early in the morning, even when his face was scrunched up in confusion. "Oh-uh-uh just didn't sleep so well is all. Bad sleep always makes my head hurt." She was suddenly very self conscious about her bed head, morning breath, makeup free face, and possible drool pillow.

Luke watched her sink down into her bed a little more. He smiled at her. He knew she was trying to hide herself. He opened the door wide, stepping in the room. "I'm breaking the rules for you, woman. You should feel very flattered." He gave her a sincere smile as he took strides towards her. He kissed her forehead when he got to her.

"I'm a mess. What are you doing?" She tried to hide under the blanket that she'd brought up to her chin.

He chuckled at her. "Penelope, I'm going to be gone most of the day, and I wanted to see you before I left."

"Why though?" she asked shyly, still keeping the comforter over the bottom half of her face.

"Penelope, seriously?" He shook his head at her. "We need to talk later. I'll bring the car back so we can ride over there together. Can you be ready to go around seven instead?" She nodded again, peering up at him with wide eyes. "Okay, I'll see you later." He leaned over her again, kissing her forehead.

"Okay," she whispered as he sauntered out of the room and shut the door. She threw the covers off of her as soon as she heard the front door shut. "Oh my God!"

* * *

I thank all of you for the reviews and follows and all that. I am just a depressed mess so I may not have gotten back to you yet. I am sorry.


	22. Chapter 22

I haven't updated in a while because of my severe bout of depression. I wish I was able to but sometimes it's too difficult. I still appreciate your reviews and favs and reaching out. It's always lovely.

Reminder: This story will have smut.

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"Hey, Chica. Are you ready to-" Luke stopped mid-sentence, losing his train of thought.

Penelope twirled around. "So it's okay?" She let her eyes fall to the purple rug beneath her with peace signs all over it, biting her lip as she waited for his answer.

Luke leaned on the door jam, but this time not casually but as if he would've fallen over if he hadn't. His eyes roamed her body, scanning her from the arch of her heels to the small ribbon at the apex of her now, ever present, ponytail. "God, yes! Better than that- better- just yes!"

She smoothed down the skirt of the dress with her palms. She investigated the lightness of it with her fingertips. "It's- well I bought it today. I know it's not too fancy, but you're wearing that button down and the casual blazer, so that's-"

"No, you're not too fancy. You're- you're stunning though."

Penelope reached up to tuck the side bangs out of her eyes and behind her ear. "I'm so glad it's- Well, I'm happy you like it. I like when you like things." She knew she sounded idiotic, and she closed her eyes in embarrassment as she felt the red blush creep up her cheeks.

Luke chuckled, but damn it, he liked when he liked things too. "I'm breaking the rules again." He strolled to her, grabbing her face with both his hands. Hers came up to hold onto his forearms as he kissed her breath away. "Damn, you are not making this easy."

When he released her, Penelope spun around to grab her lip gloss to throw in her purse for touch-ups throughout the night. Luke closed the space between them and kissed her neck, moving her ponytail out of the way with his nose as his lips captured more of her skin and his teeth lightly nibbled her shoulder.

"Ay, I'm not as bad as your father, but I feel like I'm supposed to yell at you anyway." Flora's cheeky voice made them both glance over their shoulders to her. She raised her eyes at them before pushing off the doorjamb and disappearing with a coy smile on her face.

Luke closed his eyes and put his forehead to her hair, smelling the mix of her shampoo and perfume.

Penelope was gazing at their reflections in the mirror. She saw the very real emotion and need grace his features as he drank her in. She didn't think she'd ever seen anything as beautiful as when he was so lost in her.

She let herself inspect the outfit she'd chosen - a small navy blue heel with a little bow at the toe, the short sleeved dress that cinched in at the waist, navy blue as well but the skirt, while light, was cut so that every time she moved it fanned out just so. Her long pale legs, legs she always thought were too pale, actually went quite well with this color and cut. The low circular neck gave the hint of cleavage. While not prude, it was subdued in comparison to her other wardrobe choices lately. The sleeves almost reaching her elbows, giving her arms the illusion of being longer. The teardrop earrings her mom had given her for the night hung delicately off her ears. Her makeup, while impeccable, was light. She used foundation, but only a hint of blush and exact eyeliner and mascara. She hadn't applied her lip gloss yet, anticipating a kiss. And the new hairstyle she'd all but perfected recently, with just the small navy blue bow that matched, sat neatly at the top. She knew she was semi casual, and somehow she'd never felt more beautiful than right then with this man's strong arms wrapped around her waist.

When he'd opened his eyes, he observed her as she scrutinized herself in the mirror. He wanted to pin her to a wall and take her right there, damning the rules to hell, when he recognized the moment she was so utterly content with herself. When she was done, he tightened the hand on her waist, causing her to glance up to catch his eyes. Both of them stared at each other, unrestrained lust in their eyes but also a heavy unyielding sense of emotion. "We match," she whispered, never dropping his gaze.

"We always did," he returned, making her lose her breath.

She spun around in his arms, not being able to contain herself. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him forcefully down to meet her lips and holding onto him as if he were her sole means of survival. He returned the kiss with as much fervor as she was giving, his hands on her lower back almost touching her butt, but his fingers digging in as he backed her into the vanity that was only inches away. Her ass came to rest on it since it was only as high as her upper thigh. He tilted her back as she hung onto his neck.

"Uh, you know what, I'm just going to give you the keys to my apartment now. Uh, maybe you two want to think about staying there a couple of nights." They both reluctantly pulled apart, glancing at Santi in the doorway, who at least had the decency to look apologetic and embarrassed.

Luke straightened himself out, and Penelope followed, smoothing her dress. "Did you need something?" Penelope asked as politely as she could muster when she felt utterly flushed with want.

"Not exactly. Was just going to genuinely offer up my apartment in case you wanted to go there after the party, but I didn't know I'd be breaking up a private party." Santi threw the keys. Luke instinctively caught them. "I'm just going to shower. I guess we're meeting you there." He nodded politely before disappearing.

Luke turned to her. She sighed wistfully, grabbing her purse, applying the perfectly deep pink lip gloss, smacking her lips together, and strolling out the door.

….

"I'd say I was embarrassed, but I don't think the word exists in that house," Luke announced as he drove away from the family residence.

"Yeah, it's a useless feeling." She was gazing out the window at the city lights as they disappeared. She turned to look at him. "Why did you want to leave early?"

"First and most importantly, to get you alone, but also because I want you to explain what you meant last night." His tone was serious, and she couldn't help it when his eyes pleaded with hers before returning to the road in front of him.

"Honestly, Luke, I don't know. It was a bad joke, but I realize it was a moment of insecurity on my part, something that actually doesn't happen often."

"No, it doesn't. In fact I sort of thought you were full of yourself sometimes." He suppressed a smirk when he saw her mouth drop open out of his peripheral vision.

She smiled, amused and only slightly annoyed. "Do you really want honesty here?" She watched his profile as his eyes portrayed intrigue. "It's just, I really like you. I've always liked you, and I didn't want to because honestly I thought we were two different kinds of people. It's not that I wanted you to be a bad guy. It's that, it's my experience that you alpha male types are jerks most of the time. I know that's not fair - Derek's not, Matt's not, Hotch wasn't, Rossi either. But these are evolved FBI agents, especially with the BAU. I mean the whole point is understanding behavior, so it's a lot harder to be an asshole when you know better. Just, you, I didn't know anything about you, and I just didn't think there was a point in getting to know some guy who was most likely a douche, who was annoyed with the quirky tech girl. So, yeah, maybe I judged you, but you can't tell me I don't have a point."

He listened to her, but he had no plans to interrupt her. He'd be upset if he wasn't so happy to hear her be so open. He was getting used to her letting her guard down, and he liked it. "Garcia, I'm going to be honest with you. I don't really see your point at all. You're beautiful and single, and we flirt like crazy. You play hard to get, and you drive me insane with your- I get not trusting me at first. Fair enough, but do you really think that I would think I'm above you in some way? You're amazing. I've never met anyone like you. So why wouldn't I be interested? How could I not be?"

"Luke, you're- all I meant, or mean, is that if you were some annoying Army bro that I thought I could make myself fit into a cliche just by- all I'm saying is-" She cut herself off pushing her fingers into her forehead trying to find a way to say this without embarrassing herself. "I'm perfectly fine with myself. I like that I don't fall into a box that you can just check off on a list. I really, really like being me, but a lot of guys like you don't particularly like that I'm so content with myself."

Luke was breathing deeply. He sort of understood, but still not really. He didn't fit into a cliched box either. "Listen, I get what you're saying, that maybe I'd have learned to be a womanizer, but I'm not. I prefer to know and be around all sorts of people. I'm not so insecure that I need to prove something by only having douchey meathead friends who compete to earn points for nailing every girl they can. I know some guys like that, and all I know is I can't be real friends with them because they're terrible human beings. I'm more discerning than that, so if you think I'm going to- I mean what do you think?"

Penelope was suddenly very angry with herself for having a moment of insecurity. She knew some people weren't turned on by her, but she wasn't turned on by everybody else either. But when she told Derek years ago that she wasn't the girl that guys crossed a room for, she did believe it. She knew people wanted her, but she never thought she was the girl that an entire room turned and gasped at, but neither were most people, and she was perfectly happy about it. She just thought Luke would be the type to want to be knocked off his feet just by looking at a beautiful woman. "Alright, I'm super mad at myself for making this a problem, but here it is. I really like my body. I like it this way. I could change, but I don't want to. I never have. If I was more into chicks, I'd do girls that looked like me, but not everybody is into that type." She shrugged.

Luke turned shocked and apprehensive eyes to her. " _That's_ what you meant? Honestly, Penelope, I thought that you thought that I was just too full of myself, and that you weren't going to measure up to some standard you thought I had about what I'd want you to be, not physically, but with what I wanted you to do or act like. Since you are so eclectic and quirky, I thought you figured you weren't, I don't know, good enough to fit some standard I had, since you don't lift weights, and you thought- Honestly if I didn't need to do it for the job or to keep my mental health in check, I wouldn't exactly be spending Saturday morning at the gym."

"Luke, no offense here, but you're trying to say you're so evolved that you don't notice I don't fit into a certain body type? C'mon."

"Uh, no. I've noticed your body plenty, and, if you were in the field, I'd tell you that you had to be trained and able to fight, but I'd also tell you that you couldn't wear those heels or dresses, all of which I like immensely. I understand and appreciate the need for building up endurance or strength but not to please other people and definitely not to enjoy sex. Maybe to get a job done, if necessary, but most of the people we work with don't fit into a certain body type. They just train enough to be efficient. I've never thought you couldn't do it if you wanted to, but you don't, so unless you had the desire - did you honestly think I'd- wow, just when I think you can't surprise me anymore."

Penelope was trying to contain a giggle. This was weird. "Okay, look, all I meant was I didn't think we were each other's type because I jumped to conclusions. That's really what it boils down to. I jumped to conclusions about you jumping to conclusions." She laughed and shook her head in disbelief. This was a weird ass conversation.

Luke was wrinkling his forehead in confusion. "You know I want to sleep with you, right? Like I really, really, want to sleep with you. I've thought about it a lot over the past couple of years. I mean, a lot. I mean I think about you when I- well, I'm pretty sure that unless I build up some resistance soon, I'm not going to last the first time because I think about sleeping with you a lot. Like, in your room, I thought about how if I could use the vanity to angle you on, I could bend you over a little bit but still see you in the mirror. Like. A. Lot." He didn't even realize that he was confessing so much. He was just letting words fall out of his mouth so easily because they were true, and he was utterly vexed by her concerns.

Penelope's eyes widened in disbelief, glee, and amusement as he rambled. "Uh, okay, I believe you." She was suppressing a giggle.

Luke came out of the trance he'd put himself in. He glanced at her. He would almost be embarrassed if he wasn't so happy to see her find his confession to be a good thing. "I'd say I'm sorry, but that would be a lie. I want you. Maybe I'm not supposed to be that bold, but I don't plan on becoming a liar, and it's the truth."

"My family has become a terrible influence on you." She reached over to let her hand land on his inner thigh. "But maybe I can be too. Want to build up some of that resistance now?" She ran her hand up his thigh to graze over the bulge in his pants.

He took his eye off the road to check if she was serious. She was. "Are you-" His thoughts ceased when he felt her pull his zipper down. Her hand dip into his underwear, pulled him out and used her grip on him to elicit the moan he- "Holy shit." He wanted to watch her hand grip him, he wanted to watch her face as she got him off, he wanted to touch her, but he couldn't do any of that, and he once again thought about how she always managed to have control over him in one way or another.

She used one hand to pull the seat belt strap away from her body, allowing her to scoot to the edge of her seat and have less resistance while trying to enjoy her current task. "I've thought about you too, you know. I've thought about you doing all sorts of disgusting thing to me or making me do disgusting things to you."

His eyes shot over to her face, darkening as he saw not only her sincerity but her obvious desire. "This is-"

Penelope knew her words affected him, and she also knew they were on one of the back roads now, which meant they were going slower, and there was no traffic. She shrugged, bit her lip, and made a decision. She unbuckled her seat belt. The smaller car Brian gave Luke to use only had a small center console set way back. The only thing between her and him was a low down emergency brake.

"What are you- holy shit." Luke gripped the steering wheel in a vice grip. He glanced down seeing the back of her head, but feeling her warm wet mouth sucking him in. "Holy fuck, Penelope!" He was paying attention to the road or some part of his brain was, knowing he needed to keep them safe, her safe, but the rest of him was overwhelmed. He was utterly mystified that this amazing thing was happening to him, something he'd thought about too many times to count.

Her tongue was swirling around him, and he heard her moan when she licked the tip, presumably tasting him. He wanted this so badly. When it came to her, he wanted everything so badly. If she thought he was going to have restraint, she was wrong. He kept his left hand on the steering wheel, but he glanced down and grabbed her ponytail, gripping it in his hand. He needed this. He needed to touch her, to guide her. For a moment he almost came back to reality, considering she might not want this, but he knew her well enough to know that wasn't true, and he also heard her words _make me do disgusting things_ _to you_.

When he had her ponytail in his grip, he wound the strands around his hand, making a fist and gently, but firmly guiding her head up and down. He gave her a moment to protest, but, when he got an encouraging moan instead, he tightened his grip and minutely started moving his hips. He felt her hand move down to his balls, and he let out his own encouraging moan.

Luke kept glancing down when he could, but he had to keep his eyes on the road. He admitted this was damn sexy, and he was even more in love with her now. She was kinky, and she was willing, and she was going to show him how much she wanted him. They may still feel tentative about the relationship, but he was trying really hard right now to fathom why.

They were obviously compatible. They were obviously into each other and into what the other wanted. This was the beginning of some sort of sexual awakening, he was sure of it. He wanted to do things with her that he never even thought about before. He pulsed his hips a little more and gently pulled and pushed her by her ponytail. He thanked every thing that was good in the world that he was graced with the ability to multitask. "Damn it, Baby. I'm going to come. You want it in your mouth?"

He felt her hum an acceptance, and that was all he needed. He lifted his hips and firmly held her head in place. "Fuck, Penelope. Damn. You have no idea how much I want you to-" He cut himself off. He needed to explain something to her another time, but right now he groaned as he shot his warm come into her mouth, feeling her moan and suck, trying to taste everything that he gave her. When he was done and attempting to recover, he let his hand unwind from her hair and glanced down as she placed a kiss on the tip and then to his balls. He growled in renewed need, possessiveness, and dominance.

She gently tucked him back in and then sat back in her seat, buckled herself in as if nothing happened. "You're going to pay for that." He squinted at her as he watched her smile at his statement. "This is even better than I thought it would be. I didn't think that was possible."

"I can be as good as you want me to be." She smirked. "Shouldn't we have been there by now?"

"Yeah, if you thought I was going to pull up to the party with your mouth on my cock, you're out of your mind. I took the longer back road."

"Guess we better figure this thing out because this could be a weird, awkward work relationship. Every time I'm presenting a case, you can now picture what my mouth feels like with you inside of it so… just saying." She spoke casually as she observed the scenery on the side of the road.

"Are you trying to make me lose my mind right now? Do you want me to lose all control and spread your legs right in this car and pound into you until you can't talk like that anymore? Because I never wanted our first time to be so crass, but I'll do it."

"Don't threaten me with a good time." She laughed when she heard him growl. "I'm sorry. I'll behave. Really, I will. I don't want it to happen this way either. In fact I'm not certain I'm ready for it to." He scanned her face when he heard her voice turn shy.

"Penelope, are you, apprehensive about this-us?" They were finally at the school. He placed the car in park, but he didn't turn it off yet as he paid rapt attention to her nervous face.

"Not exactly like that. I guess I am a little bit… I don't want to have to miss you one day, and there are some things I won't come back from without getting scarred by it." She peered at him over her glasses, keeping her head dipped low in apprehension.

"Penelope, I don't want this to end."

"You say that now. In fact you say that after the high of a blow job, but you even said yourself the other day, you don't know what this will look like back home. And you don't have to. I mean how can anyone know but-"

He held up a hand. He wanted to stop her, but he didn't want to angrily interrupt her either. "Penelope, I wasn't clear. I don't know exactly what this will look like because, yes, it might be difficult, but I mostly stated it that way because I didn't want to presume what you wanted. I didn't want to scare you off, but I want you, not just physically. I've been trying to figure out how to start this with you for a lot longer than you're aware of. I didn't surprise you or spend time with your family so that I could casually throw you away. I would be stupid to do such a thing with a colleague as well. I have feelings for you, the real kind. I never meant to take this lightly, Chica, but I was trying to be respectful in case you did."

She smiled and bit her lip, before feeling the heat creep into her cheeks. "No, I don't think I want to take this lightly either. In fact I know I don't because I just blew you in the front seat of a car, not really caring what the consequences would be even if this was a convenient vacation thing for you. Apparently, I like you enough to put my usual guidelines aside." She let out a giggle.

Luke gave her that appraising look he'd give sometimes, the one where his eyes traveled to her chest and back to her face, and his mouth was slightly open as his face lit up. "Good, your guidelines are useless here. This is something completely different than you've ever had or done. We can make some guidelines together, but, as your family has pointed out, we should really just get on with the show, so do you want to date me? Like, for real?" He wasn't scared at all. He was never more sure of anything.

She couldn't help the stupid smile that came over her face. "I would very much like to date you for real." She watched his face light up. "Is this really happening? We're not just doing this because we're on a vacation high, right?"

"No, I want you even when we're weeks deep in a case, no one's slept, and you're yelling at me for asking you a dumb question. I'm still going to want you. Maybe even a little bit more depending on how angry you are." He smirked at her.

"Yeah, me too, about the still wanting you part."

He nodded. "So should we go in and explain why we got here after them, even though we left first?"

"Oh crap, this is gonna be fun."


	23. Chapter 23

I am an absolute disaster. Depression along with life just continuing to throw insanity my way have made things very difficult. There are some of you that continue to send reviews and check on me. Even if I dont get back to you right away please know that I appreciate you and yes, you do help me to get things updated. Thanks so much.

* * *

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in. When I gave you two the key to my apartment, I didn't mean to go there before you even came here." Santi was loudly proclaiming from his seat at one of the long tables where all six members of Penelope's family were sitting along with a thoroughly amused Brian and Cindy.

"Oh my God, can we not with this? We're in public." Penelope waved her hand around, indicating the insanity that was this crazy group of people.

"They probably did it in the car," Marcos said without looking up from his phone.

"See, smart man. He purposely took Brian's car, so they could have a quickie, and it not be under any roof you own," Juan spoke to his father.

"Don't expect me to like it, but it's not a broken rule." Arturo stated.

"So if you guys finally did it, does that mean you're together now?" Git asked.

This was the moment Luke was waiting for. "Actually that's why we were late. We had a conversation. We are in fact together for real. So deal with that." Luke felt Penelope twist into him slightly, her smile on full display. He kissed her temple.

"Holy shit! They've done it. They actually spoke grown up for five minutes." Juan put his hand to his heart gasping sarcastically.

"Language!"

"Ma, we're not at the house."

"Still the same word."

"Congratulations, Son. Only took you over two years to get her to admit she likes you. You're a real Casanova," Arturo said.

Luke shook his head and pulled her leading the way close to the table. "Brian, Cin, this is Penelope Garcia, my girlfriend."

"Holy shit is right," Cindy said.

"Ditto," Brian said, reaching out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You as well."

Cindy came around the table and hugged Penelope. "Sorry, just needed to make sure you are real."

Penelope laughed. "I think I am, but I understand the predicament."

"So, you are boyfriend and girlfriend. We don't have to play nice with you anymore?" Flora asked.

"Mom, that was you playing nice? I'm absolutely terrified now," Penelope remarked dryly.

"Alright, alright, kids. Let's let them settle in and enjoy. We'll have plenty of time to make fun of them over the next two weeks." Arturo did give Luke a genuine proud nod. He liked this man for his daughter. He liked that he put himself on the line for her and that he waited for her.

Luke gave him a gracious nod back, grateful for his support, right now and in general.

"So… you know what, I'm not even sure where to begin." Brian had his forearm resting on the table as he stared across the table at Penelope, who took a seat in the chair Luke pulled out for her.

"Hoyt," Luke warned him.

"Hey, man, you're the one who never brought anyone around. Don't blame me if I find it incredibly intriguing," Brian defended.

"That's exactly why we shouldn't scare her away, Honey." Cindy put her cheek to his shoulder as she winked at Penelope.

She smiled gratefully. This was already a big step, even without anyone pointing it out or quizzing them.

"Oh, great! We never see her, and she's down here for five minutes, and she'll be busy sucking face with her boyfriend." Marcos crossed his arms, finally not staring at his phone but now staring at the table.

Luke did feel bad. He wasn't about to stop spending time with her. Hell, he knew exactly what Marcos was talking about. He wanted her around more than he'd been getting as well. "You know, I meant what I said. You all should come visit." He wanted to see Penelope's reaction, and he wasn't surprised when he saw the fear in her eyes, but it quickly turned to hope. She wanted to mend everything, and she wanted both of her families to meet.

She turned to the curious and cautious faces of six people she did in fact love very much. "Yeah, it would probably be a good thing. I think everyone we work with would be extremely happy to meet you."

For once, this group of people was speechless. "Holy shit. All it took was you getting laid for us to be welcome?" Git remarked.

"Language."

Penelope slammed her elbow on the table and put her hand to her forehead. "We were like, an extra ten minutes later than you, and we already told you we were having a conversation. When exactly do you think we snuck off to Santi's apartment?"

"Fine, fine, fine, but something happened. You're both too happy and glowy for just having conversation." Juan stated.

"I'm sorry. Didn't Dad say we weren't acting like this in public tonight?" She stared her brothers down.

"She's right, and don't make her change her mind now. We just got the invite," Marcos pleaded.

Santi smiled at him. "So when do we get to come?"

"Anytime you want. Well, I guess anytime we can manage to have some time off. Penelope's usually still in town even when I'm in the field, but then again we usually need her in the office," Luke said almost dismally, thinking this was actually going to be quite tough. He gave Penelope a lopsided smile in apology.

"Uh, just wondering, and tell me if I'm wrong, but didn't you say you're off the rest of the summer? Don't you still have a mandated three and a half more weeks?" Brian countered.

Everyone's face turned in recognition. "Well, we could fly back with you. We don't have anything that we have to be here for, as long as we get that order we're working on done before then…" Arturo did want to see his daughter's life. He wanted to be part of it. He needed to make sure she was okay, happy, taken care of. She was certainly capable, he knew that, but it mattered to him that he saw it for himself.

"You can't do that, not so quickly. It's too much. What about-" Penelope actually couldn't think of a good reason not to do this now. They could build on the connection they'd been cultivating, and they did have the time. "Yeah, if it's not too much trouble, that would work."

Every face in front of her lit up. "Really?" Juan asked in wonder.

"Yeah." Penelope smiled genuinely at them. "Oh, but wait. I really don't have room for all of you. It's-"

"I meant what I said before. You can stay with me," Luke announced.

Penelope whirled around to look at him. "You were serious? Wait, but there's like nothing in your house. It's practically bare."

"Which actually gives them more room." He laughed. "Between mine and yours, we can fit everyone."

"I thought you were tip-toeing around each other. How do you know about each other's houses?" Cindy had a cheeky smile.

"Not a great story, unfortunately. Our team hangs out a lot, have drinks after a bad case, so we make it to each other's houses quite often," Penelope explained.

"So wait, you've been in each other's houses, liquored up, and you're just barely getting together? My goodness, I at least thought Alvez took so long because it was hard to approach at work, but apparently he's just that terrible at this," Brian teased him.

Luke let his mouth open as his embarrassed grin spread across his face. He shook his head and sarcastically replied. "Thanks, Hoyt. You're really helpful."

"So when do we leave?" Santi asked, raising his eyebrows.

"We still get to keep you here as long as you said. Then we'll go with you," Flora said resolutely. She wanted these two to really have time to build their relationship, and from her conversations with her daughter, she knew that would be harder back there.

"Yeah, there's still so much to see, and it's really nice staying with you all," Luke added.

"So wait, you two aren't going to rush off to bone now that you have a private apartment?" Git questioned, as stealthy as ever.

"Oh my God!" Penelope averted her eyes, so she didn't have to look at Luke's friends. She actually found it less embarrassing to discuss this with her parents. "Why am I going to let the team meet them again?" She asked Luke mockingly.

"Alright, alright, we're behaving." Santi concluded with a chuckle.

"So really though, why did this take you so long? You two seem pretty cozy to me." Brian nodded at their intertwined hands and their brushing shoulders.

They looked at each other, both searching for the answer in the other's eyes. "I'm not really certain. I suppose I never really knew you were interested," Penelope said slowly, a bit of apology coming out in her tone. Maybe she should've known.

"I thought you genuinely didn't like me at all. You were so, well, you were a little mean." He chuckled.

She lightly tapped his bicep. "No, I wasn't. Well not really mean, just barely a little," she admitted with a smile.

"Okay, but it's been a couple years. No one wanted to… show the other that they liked them?" Cindy curiously questioned.

"When I say we work a lot, I mean a lot. We're together all the time, but I'm hacking into databases while he's interrogating criminals. It's not really conducive to dating. Most of our team is chronically single. It's just how it is. My best friend had to quit and be a stay at home dad, otherwise, he'd never see his wife or kid."

"That's what I'm talking about. I want to be a house husband, take the kids to school, and have from eight to three to myself everyday. Bring it," Git announced. He reached over to the bowl of trail mix and stuck his big hand in, sloppily stuffing the mix in his mouth.

"How do you think you're going to get a woman to support you when you have to pay them to go out with you in the first place?" Juan ducked the raisin that was thrown at him.

"Anyway, the point is, it's pretty tough, and even when it's a little quiet, it's not easy to figure out. Honestly, it's tough to keep anything to yourself. These people were trained to know everything. If I liked her, and she didn't like me, or if we- well the point is, we have no lines of separation. We could never be apart even if we desperately wanted to," Luke informed.

"I get the situation isn't ideal, but you're telling me it's that rough?" Santi asked.

"You might understand when you meet these people. They're…they're something else, and to be honest, I never want to make anything hard for them either. Us being together might do that." Penelope turned a concerned eye to Luke. He nodded in understanding, and then wrapped his arm around her, pulling her head to him and placing a kiss to her hair.

"Oh yuck! You two are getting worse by the second." Juan rolled his eyes.

Luke laughed but let her go and replaced his hand in hers again. "We were cautious, maybe too cautious but not without reason. But also, neither of us really did know what the other was thinking, and it's pretty hard to casually date someone you see constantly, not just a forty hour work week, much more than that."

"Alright, alright, we get it. You're both so scared. Whatever excuses you had, they're over now," Arturo stated definitively. "Let's enjoy ourselves tonight, and then we can make a plan to really embarrass them later in front of their friends. It'll be funnier that way."

The party went on without incident. Penelope talked to Cindy quite a bit. She got a few funny stories about Luke's obliviousness but for the most part, all she heard were stories of his work ethic, him being a good friend, and him being alone. The last part made her both proud and nervous. She was happy she was so special, but for the life of her she couldn't figure out how she'd managed to be this lucky.

"Ay, so are you two going to need a car now? You won't have one anymore, right?" Santi questioned.

"We won't," Luke answered.

"Come on. Get in one of our cars. We're all going back to the same place," Flora said as she wrapped her shawl around her shoulders.

"No, Mom. They want to go bone. They need their own car," Marcos answered.

Luke held up a hand. "We can ride back with you. If we need to borrow a car for sightseeing, we'll figure it out tomorrow."

"Oh, she wants to wait. See, told you," Git said to the family now gathered outside, standing near their cars.

"Oh my God! Git, we are just trying to spend some time with all of you, now that we won't have interruptions. I thought that's what you wanted." Penelope was becoming desensitized to these conversations. At least she didn't have to worry about Luke running away because of them anymore. But still, Brian and Cindy were listening nearby with big grins.

"Yes, and I'm not driving out of my way to drop them off somewhere so they can break my rules," Arturo announced.

"It's not breaking the rules. It's my apartment," Santi protested.

"Yes, a technicality, but if you think I'm going to help them, you're crazier than Git."

"Hey!" Git said defensively.

Penelope shook herself and walked over to Brian and Cindy, giving them both hugs. "It was lovely to meet you both."

"No, it was amazing to meet you. It's truly, well-" Brian shyly smiled at her. She nodded and walked away giving Cindy a final wave before getting in the car Juan was driving.

Luke hugged Cindy, and she politely excused herself. "Look, man, I don't want to get all mushy, but I'm really glad to see you with somebody," Brian told him sincerely.

Luke knew Brian understood the gravity of the situation. "It's just, I was waiting for her. I always sort of knew I was."

Brian shook his head. "Damn, Alvez is in love. I never thought I'd see the day." He leaned in and gave Luke a hug which was returned.

"I'm just happy it's finally here." He nodded at Brian and waved to Cindy before sliding into the car next to Penelope, leaning in to kiss her as soon as they were buckled in.

"Oh gross, I'm right here, you guys," Marcos said loudly from his spot in the front passenger's seat.

"It's probably only going to get worse, baby brother. Think about it. You're going to be staying with us, at one of our houses, where there are no rules," Penelope taunted him.

"I'm not sure we thought this through." Marcos turned to Juan.

"No use now. They're already making out some more." Juan could see them from his rearview mirror. " Let's just turn the music up and never look at that back seat again."

When they pulled up to the house, Marcos slammed the door and ran to the front door, stepping in right behind his parents. "Those two made out the whole way home. Thank you for having those rules, Dad. We need the structure." He kicked his shoes off and disappeared down the hall.

"Mija, you can at least try to hide it a little bit," Flora said as she walked through the house.

Penelope and Luke were taking off their shoes. "But why Mom? You all were the ones that wanted to discuss everything we've ever done and not done and why we're doing something now. You're the ones who encouraged openness, so here we are."

Luke watched from the hallway as Penelope animatedly talked to Santi, Git, and her parents. "Hey man, jokes aside, I'm glad you are both happy." He turned to see Juan standing next to him, admiring him watching.

"Thanks, man. You know I thought I liked you best until you decided to help embarrass me yesterday." Luke smiled at him.

Juan held up an apologetic hand. "Yeah, but tell me it didn't work in your favor."

"You're right. It did, and, in return, I wanted to give you this." Luke handed him a piece of paper. Juan unfolded it precariously.

He let an embarrassed smile come to his face. "Well, then, I promise to be careful with it."

"See that you do." He clapped Juan on the back. "I'll be to bed in a little bit, just going to say goodnight to your sister."

Juan held up the paper. "Hey, take your time, man. Whatever you want."

Luke was laughing after Juan's retreating form when he felt Penelope's hands wrap around his waist from behind and her cheek placed to his back. He put his hands over hers admiring her perfectly painted pink nails.

"Guess this is goodnight."

Penelope let a whine escape her lips. "I don't wanna."

He spun around, taking her in his arms. "Me either, but we have to, but I do get to see you in the morning, which I'm pretty grateful for."

"Mmmhmm, me too!" She got on her tiptoes so she could kiss him. She gripped the lapels of the blazer he was wearing, that she decided she really wanted to take off of him.

They both deepened the kiss, recklessly thrusting their tongues in each other's mouths, her gripping his blazer tighter attempting to bring him closer to her, and him winding his arms tightly around her trying to bring her closer as well even though it was impossible.

"This is disgusting. You're both disgusting." Git was frighteningly close to them. He had a bag of raisins in his hand, and he was munching them as he made casual conversation with these two people who were flushed and still holding onto one another despite the fact that they were now scowling at the idiotic man next to them. "You know, I feel like since Dad went to bed already, being the oldest, I should be the one to monitor that you don't go too far." He was nodding as he motioned between the two of them before sticking his hand in the bag again.

"God, do you ever stop eating? How are you a personal trainer?" Penelope was red, and she knew it, but she was also ready to physically fight Git just so she could get some of this tension out of her body.

"I fuel my body, Penelope. Duh. You see me, right? This doesn't happen overnight." He rolled his eyes and gave Luke a conspiratorial glance while hitching his thumb towards Penelope.

"We're going to bed, Git. Just give us a second, huh?" she negotiated.

He nodded and mumbled around his raisins. "Okay, but after I get done replying to the ladies who have been messaging me all evening, I'm going to come check up on you two."

They both watched as Git sauntered away from them and disappeared around the corner of the long hallway. "Mmm, this is not as easy as- well no nevermind, I never thought it would be easy. I don't want to let you go," Luke confessed.

"Well, you could come sleep in my room. You know sleep or not sleep." She tiptoed again to reach his neck and place kisses there.

He groaned. "No, Penelope, I can't."

"We don't have to technically break any rules," she pleaded.

He chuckled. "Maybe not, but I still don't want to break anyone's trust in me either."

She let out a breath and a tiny pout. "You just have to be an upstanding guy all the time, don't you?"

"This is a bad thing?"

"No. Well yes, but only when it doesn't let me have an orgasm."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "You could still give yourself one."

She slapped his chest. "No, that's- No, besides I'd rather you do it."

"I'd rather I did it too." They started kissing again, but as she moved to wind her arms around his neck, he reluctantly pulled away. "Let's not make this more difficult for ourselves."

Penelope pouted again, but she let him lead her to her door, where he leaned in and chastely kissed her goodnight. She watched as he walked down the hallway. He glanced over his shoulder, both of them giving lingering smiles before each disappearing through their respective doors.


	24. Chapter 24

Sorry for the wait. Depression is the worst. I know I have to get back to so many of you. Just know if I havent replied to you yet, it's definitely about me not you. Thank you to those of you who very loyally check in and also review. Especially on my older stories, that is always a treat. Thank you!

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Penelope woke up the next morning in a daze. She sat up groggily and slowly wiped the sleep from her eyes. After a few moments, she let a huge smile come to her face. She had a boyfriend, a yummy boyfriend named Lucas Alvez, a boyfriend that she trusted, that she wanted, that she didn't feel like she was lowering herself for, one that wanted her just as badly as she needed to be wanted.

She took a deep breath. He was it for her, at least she hoped with everything inside of her that he was. She wanted him and this. She wanted to wake up to him every morning, and she wanted to fly with him down to see her family. She wanted to wake up with him Christmas morning and exchange heartfelt gifts. Yup, she wanted it all and finally was excited about needing it too. Sitting here at this moment, she wasn't sure how they kept apart for as long as they did. She couldn't imagine it anymore. Right now, they were away from their everyday lives, so it felt removed from all the reasons that it was never a good idea or where it was just not something that would really ever happen. But now, right here, she knew that she should've taken the risk as soon as she could've. She was certain that if she'd kissed him the first time she met him, she'd still have known that he was it.

She sighed and pushed the covers off of herself. She needed to shake it off. They weren't in love. They were barely in a relationship. It hadn't even been twenty four hours. What on earth was she thinking? She couldn't be the crazy clingy girl that was so utterly desperate for a man that wasn't even fully committed to her. But he was, wasn't he? She felt like she was his, so didn't that make him hers? She shook herself again. She was ready for this. Whatever it became, she was ready, and, if she got burned, at least she got to start the fire.

She shuffled to the bathroom which was, astonishingly, vacant. She brought the dress she was wearing that day and her makeup bag. She showered, and this time she did wash her hair because she couldn't go forever without doing so, not in this heat especially. She was letting it air dry as she put on lotion and did her makeup. She pulled the revealing dress over her body and nodded at her reflection. She loved her body as it was, but she knew she already dropped a pound or two. She always did when she was here. There was a lot of food, sure, but there was even more walking and activity, especially in the summer. When she came for a little over a week the last time, she went home five pounds slimmer. She shrugged. It didn't matter. She wasn't attempting to do anything, and Luke apparently wanted her for a long time, and he knew he'd be getting her as is, and he seemed to be thoroughly joyful about it. But she couldn't deny, it felt good to have the dress fit just a smidge better over her body.

She squeezed the excess water out of her hair, and she sighed as she reached for the hair dryer she hated using. It was one thing to use a curler to hype up her strands. It was a whole other predicament to have to try and be coordinated enough to hold the dryer and brush and attempt to not dry it standing up in different directions. She got to work, and ten minutes later it was dry enough and manageable enough to use the curling iron to put in a few bouncy curls. She smiled, grabbed a hair tie, and put it up in a high ponytail. Then she grabbed a bright pink and blue clip settling it at the apex of her hair. She smiled. She really liked this look. She didn't realize how much until she saw herself through Luke's eyes. She didn't need anyone, man or otherwise, to make her feel amazing or tell her what worked for her, but sometimes people show you how to be at your best, and that's what he'd done.

She loved feeling the freedom of her hair out of her face. She loved the breeze on her neck and chest. She loved feeling sexy, not only because the sensitive skin of her neck was exposed but because she could see the unrestrained lust in his gaze when he devoured her form with his eyes. She applied her light pink lip gloss and exited the bathroom. She dropped off her things in her room and walked into the kitchen to find Flora by herself filling a large pot with water.

"Mija, que linda. You look so beautiful. I'm sure Lucas will be very pleased and won't even be that mad that you took the whole morning."

"What, what do you mean?"

"Hita, it's almost noon. I'm getting lunch ready, but your boyfriend has been in three different times to ask if you were up yet. At least the last time I could tell him you were in the shower."

Penelope's mouth fell open. "Why didn't someone wake me up? I would've- I wanted to-"

"See your boyfriend and get touchy feely under the breakfast table with him." Flora raised her eyebrows.

Penelope huffed. At least it was just her mom in here and not all of the boys. "Well, yeah, sort of. Now, Dad's going to keep him outside until the end of time." She pouted.

"Ay, that's probably true, but, mija, you and him, you are together now. He's here for you. He's staying for you. He came to claim you. He's taking us all back to stay at his house. You already have him, and I want you to have the time to make it strong. You don't need to rush into anything." Flora was cutting potatoes and tossing them into the pot next to her as she spoke.

"Mom, correct me if I'm wrong, but are you giving me the sex talk right now? I don't want to burst your bubble, but you're a little late to the party." Penelope's spoke informatively.

Flora eyed her as she continued to cut. She took a calming breath and then fixated down on her working hands. "Mija, I wasn't supposed to be late to the party as you say. I was there, but, it just didn't work out that way. I know you didn't love Shane, but I know you slept with him because you were in pain. I know you waited until- well I know you, mi nina. I know you were holding on, you were trying to heal, and then you got pushed over the edge, and you decided to make your first time meaningless because you were trying to forget the pain you already had by creating a new one, but mija, that didn't need to define you then." Flora eyed Penelope's shocked face and the slight misty eyes she had.

"Mom, I- I regretted it almost immediately, but I kept-" Penelope's eyes dropped to the counter in front of her.

"Mija, I know, and you're not the first. This happens to a lot of young people. Sometimes they're looking for something in the wrong place. Now, over the past fifteen years, I know that you've probably been with people that you don't regret or you at least had some good experiences, but make sure that when you do this this time, that you leave no doubt about the way you feel. Not one. Don't do it for lust, or for the heat of the moment. Do it because it's right for you and for him. You're an adult, I know, but even adults use sex to make themselves feel better sometimes. Sex can be a weapon. Don't get me wrong, you can have as many one night stands as you want. It's your choice, and, if you are doing it for you, then that's okay, but this," Flora gestured to the front of the house in the direction of the wood shop. "This is what you deserve, and I don't want you to ever give yourself a reason to resent it or him. You're not ready, not because you don't want to be, but because you haven't grasped the intensity of the emotion you feel yet. Let it settle in, let yourself feel, and make sure you're not afraid to love him because he deserves to have all of you, not just the pieces that you can offer him. Make sure you are whole, make sure you are ready, make sure you are able to give him everything because you deserve to have someone hold you for all that you are." Flora watched as Penelope lowered her head and quietly wiped the tears from underneath her eyes.

"Thanks, Mom," Penelope whispered.

"Don't for one second think you are less because you were with people that didn't deserve you. You didn't lose your virginity. You didn't give yourself away. That is so crass. Your bad choices don't define you, mi linda. You didn't give yourself away to anyone. You still have all of you, and you always will as long as you remember, you aren't your mistakes."

Penelope nodded. Maybe even in her thirties, she did need the sex talk. How did Mom always know what she needed? "That's one of the reasons I'm so mad at myself for pushing you all away. I felt like I gave away a piece of me while I was trying to make myself whole again. It felt like I made the hole bigger. I've regretted it, and to be honest I'm not sure I haven't regretted everyone since then too. Not because I didn't know them or trust them or they were bad guys, but because I've never really been sure. I've never felt like I was doing the right thing because I don't think I did the right thing to begin with. I've always had this question in my heart about how to associate love and sex in a positive way. I can enjoy the act, but I can't make it mean more because, if I let it, then it means that even when I felt degraded it meant something as well." Her tears were slowly trickling down, but her voice was steady. She'd thought about this countless times.

Flora nodded. "Sex can be complicated, and it can also be uncomplicated. It doesn't always have to mean something. It's okay if it didn't always for you. There is nothing wrong with needing physical affection. But if you've never associated that positively, you'll always have that question in your heart. But don't you dare think it's too late. Don't you dare think you have a scar on you. You don't. You're not marked. Going forward though, if you want to feel differently, then you need to make sure you are exactly who you want to be when you make that choice." Flora had picked up the towel from the counter and wiped her hand off. She brought the back of her hand up to wipe the tears from her daughter's cheek.

"I will, Mom. I don't want to mess this up. I don't want to make this hard. I want to give him all of me. I don't want this to sound ridiculous because I know we just started dating, but I want him to be it. I want him to be the final act." Penelope was staring at her mother. She felt so vulnerable, so terrified, and yet so happy that she was able to share this concern with someone that understood.

Flora nodded. "I think he wants to be too. He'll wait. He's already waited for you for a long time. He doesn't need anything you don't want to give. Fall deep in love, Penelope. Fall further than you ever thought you could, all the way down to the core of the earth. Fall, he'll hold your hand the whole way down."

Penelope's smile was slightly embarrassed. Her tears were drying, but she felt her face flush red. She didn't know that this is what this felt like. She didn't know that her parents could see it so well, but she trusted them because they never once fell out of love with each other. They made love look easy. Penelope had assumed, and according to everyone else, love was only ever work. But she knew it didn't have to drag you down. You never had to give up; you never had to wonder if you were still in love. Some people had it harder than others, and some people worked through the trials, and that was admirable too, but she was given the rare glimpse into people that were so open and honest they knew each other inside out, and they still wanted more. Neither of them ever looked elsewhere because there was nowhere else they'd rather be than with each other, and Penelope wanted that. She wanted it more than anything.

Flora resumed cutting potatoes as she mischievously smiled at her daughter who now seemed to be lost in a daydream of sorts. The front door opened again, and Flora nudged Penelope's arm across the counter. She knew it was Luke. No one else would be coming in the house until lunch was ready. They wouldn't waste the energy to walk and not get a meal at the end of it. Penelope spun around on the stool and stood up when she saw Luke rounding the corner. He was sweaty and shirtless, and she whined when she saw him. She glanced over her shoulder to her mother, "Easier said than done."

Flora laughed and nodded at him. "I need to go put some clothes in the dryer." She excused herself to give them a moment alone.

"What's up, sleepyhead?" He sauntered slowly towards her.

"You could've come woken me up." As he got close, she put her arms around his neck as his hands came to her waist.

"I would never wake you, for no good reason."

"This is a fantastic reason to be awake." Penelope leaned up and kissed him. The kiss from the night before seemed to have only been put on pause as they both gripped each other and pressed their bodies together. He backed her up to the counter and then pressed his body against hers to pin her there.

When her hand started sliding down his chest, they both realized it was midday. He was in the middle of helping her father build something, and her mother was only down the hall. Beyond that, they were only in the kitchen, not exactly any romance or privacy to be had. They both reluctantly pulled back. "I've been waiting for that for five hours now," he said quietly as he placed a kiss to her forehead.

"I heard you've come to check on me. This makes four. Did the boys let you go, or did you have to sneak off?"

He laughed. "They know I'm in - they understand my predicament, I think. Plus, I think they feel sort of sorry for me. Ever since we established that we, uh, haven't been sexually active lately, they seem to think that I am about a minute away from having to be driven the emergency room."

She blushed but let out a giggle. "Luke, you really don't mind wait-"

"Don't even ask that. I've been waiting for a couple of years already. Honestly, if you need two more then… Well let's just say, I was pretty sure I wouldn't even have gotten to kiss you for the first time for at least another month and only if I could get you alone, and then who knows how long I would've had to woo you for, so really, Chica, I was prepared for the long game." His goofy smile was on his face as he watched her playfully roll her eyes.

"Alright, alright, I get it. We're pretty lucky to have been given this time together, and I'm grateful for it. I just didn't want you to think that- Well, I don't want you to think that I don't trust you, or I don't know... something. It's not that. I just, look- I've had one night stands, and I've had long term relationships, but I'm not sure sex ever meant anything to me. Even when I was about to get proposed to, all I could think was, but shouldn't I care more, shouldn't I know what making love feels like? But I never have and I just- Well honestly, and I acknowledge this might sound incredibly stupid, but I don't want to use you, and I'm afraid that's exactly what I'll let it become. Even if I care about you, I'll separate the physical stuff in my mind from that, and I don't think you deserve that from me." She shrugged, her arms were still around his neck, and she shyly tipped her ear to her shoulder.

Luke's smile softened, and he brought one hand up to her cheek. "I understand. I might even understand too well. This isn't about you playing a game. This is just making sure we're ready, and that's perfectly fine. I've been planning this in my mind for a long time, and I'll be damned if I mess it up due to my libido." He was adamant.

She bit her bottom lip. "That's good then. Although it doesn't mean we can't do anything, and Santi's apartment isn't that far away…" Her eyes were mischievous.

His eyes darkened as he let out a low growl as his lips descended on hers. He pulled back. "I'm not opposed to spending some alone time with you, but are you sure about that? Just last night Marcos sounded like he was ready to cry if he didn't get to hang out with his big sister all day."

Penelope scoffed. "I have no idea why. He stares at his phone ninety percent of the time we are in the same room. He just likes knowing I'm here, but as you so helpfully witnessed yesterday, they are flying back with us. All of them. And they'll be there for a whole week. With us. In our houses. With us."

Luke chuckled. "True, and we do have another couple weeks here as well. I suppose we can sneak away tonight. Should we tell them we're going on a date? We can go see something at that theater tonight so it really is a date and then we just...don't come back." He leaned in to kiss her again.

She bit her lip and nodded excitedly. "I'll check what play is on right now, and I'll tell Mom so that she can sneakily let the information slide at dinner when we're already gone."

"Uh, I don't think she's on our side about this," Luke said apprehensively.

"Oh, Honey, you don't know how wrong you are."

"She stopped us the other day."

"Well, yes, she wants us to respect their wishes, but she and I have…well to be honest, we've talked this through, and she knows where I stand with this, so she's actually not going to be very concerned at all."

Luke shook his head disbelievingly. "Your mother knows we aren't going to be having sex? That's as bad as her knowing we are." He chuckled silently. "But, if that means she'll help us have some alone time, then I'm all for it." They kissed again.

She ran her hands down his chest again. "What are you all building out there anyway? It takes all six of you to finish my vanity?"

"Actually, five. Git had to run to his real job and handle some problem with a client. You know he got on the phone, and he actually sounded professional. I was- I was floored to be honest." Luke contemplatively stared at the wall above her head trying to find the answer. He shook himself and then looked back to her. "Anyway, we finished your stuff. It's just drying, but we are working on their order for that other client. We need to make sure it's done so they can all come home with us." He winked.

"Ugh, can you stall? Can you sabotage?" She was only joking. She did actually want to take this step, and she wanted to take it with him. "Don't work too hard, and I guess, since we're going on a date tonight, I can't complain that I don't get to see that much of you today." She pouted.

"I wouldn't mind if you were a little pouty about it. It's okay. I don't mind helping them. I like them, and it's the least I can do. I am the one intruding on the family fun."

"You're not intruding."

"Even so, I know we're going to have plenty of time together, and, even though I'd rather have all the time together, it's probably a good thing we have people keeping us in check so that we don't do that thing where we cut everyone off while we lose ourselves in each other. At least that's what I've heard happens when you are in a relationship. And I definitely want to lose myself in you." He uttered the last of his words slowly as he leaned in to kiss her again.

It escalated all over again until they heard the sounds of her mother coming back down the hallway. "You're right. It's probably a good thing other people are keeping us from drowning in each other because I certainly don't have the self control to do that," she admitted.

He smiled and kissed her forehead. He nodded at Flora when she spoke. "Here, take a couple more waters outside for them. I won't have lunch ready for another hour, and I don't want anyone passing out in the heat." He took the offered bottles and walked away but not before giving Penelope one last smile.

"Ay, you have it bad." Flora resumed her previous task as she watched her daughter watch the spot that the man she was just kissing disappeared from.

"That I do." She took a seat on the stool again facing her mother. "Would you mind if we went out tonight and possibly, maybe, didn't come back?" She closed one eye as she asked permission like a teenager.

Flora laughed. "Our conversation was undone by a few kisses. The man must be good."

"Ha ha, Mom. Not for that, just for some time alone. I mean, I know what you meant, and I know what I need, but I want some time alone with him. Is that okay?"

"Si, mija, it's okay. I trust you to trust yourself. You are not telling your father, I assume?"

"I was hoping you could explain our absence if someone ends up noticing tomorrow? Besides we can come back over in the morning. In fact, I'm sure we will. Luke won't want to disappoint them, and he promised to help with their project."

"I see."

"We are going on a date. We're going to the theater, and then we'll just...use Santi's apartment, but we'll be back early. I won't sleep in like today."

"Okay, and tomorrow you and I will go shopping, but this time for me. I want some vacation clothes too."

"No problem. We'll have to keep ourselves occupied anyway. How long do you think it will take them to finish this project they're working on?"

"They'll be done by the end of the week," she informed her.

"The whole week?" She pouted.

"Yes, mija, the whole week. They were planning on working on it a little bit but saving most of their time for you, but, since we are leaving with you, they have to do it all now. You'll still have almost a week with all of them and your boyfriend before we go. Maybe it's good to pace yourselves." She raised her eyes knowingly at Penelope.

"Yeah yeah, I know. I'm just- You've seen him without a shirt on, right?"

Flora laughed again. "Yes, mija, and it's why I'm being so lenient. I can't let you waste an opportunity like that." She smirked.

"Mom!"

"You asked."


	25. Chapter 25

I am still a huge mess. Thanks to those of you who reach out and send reviews on anything especially when I've been gone for a while. It reminds me I have stories to post still, and that there are people who look forward to that. Thank you.

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"Okay, we'll see all of you later." Penelope briefly stopped in the archway to address her family.

"Hey, hey, hold on. Why are just the two of you going? We all enjoy the arts," Arturo questioned her from his recliner.

"Dad, it's a date. We don't need everyone there. You've already been there for everything else."

"Whose fault is that? You don't need to make out in the car with us there." Juan opened his arms wide before he rounded the couch to take a seat next to Marcos.

"We really didn't need to be there for that," Marcos acknowledged as he stared at his phone.

Penelope rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised you even noticed. How can you even see when you're staring at your phone all the time?"

"My peripheral vision is impeccable," Marcos said calmly, never looking up.

"Let them go. Maybe if they do it, then they'll get it out of their systems, so we don't have to watch it anymore," Santi said.

"No, that'll just make them want to do it more. You get a taste, and you can't leave it alone." Git stuffed his hand in the popcorn bowl that was in Santi's lap.

"Leave them alone. They are going to a play. Let them have a date. Luke spent all day with you, and Penelope is spending all day with me tomorrow, and they won't even have privacy when they get back home," Flora said as she pulled a tray out of the oven.

"Yeah, let them makeout in front of the audience at the theatre. At least they came to see a show," Juan said.

"Hey, what happened to the loyalty?" Luke asked him.

"I'm loyal. I just said that you two should go. I'm just stating the facts. I'm sure they would enjoy it." Juan glanced over his shoulder at Luke.

Luke stuck his tongue to his cheek, laughing. "Yeah, thanks man."

"We're going. See you all later." Penelope pulled Luke towards the door by the crook of his arm.

They were almost to the door when she heard her father's voice. "Right, we'll see you later, as in, later on today, which means you won't need that overnight bag you put in the car earlier," Arturo said firmly without taking his eyes off of the tv screen.

"Oh my God!" Penelope threw her head back in annoyance.

"Hey, mija, if you can guess which car I moved it to, you can go," Arturo said nonchalantly.

"Dad, are you serious?"

"Si, what makes you think I'm not?"

All of the brothers were laughing as they listened to the exchange, none of them taking their eyes off of the soccer game in front of them. Penelope huffed and looked at Luke. He bent down and whispered in her ear. "He put it in Git's car, which I guess means it's the one we'll be taking." She grabbed the keys off of the hook near the doorway.

Arturo turned to look at her. "No fair. You cheated."

"You didn't say I couldn't have help. Okay, bye." She swiftly opened the door and pulled Luke by the hand towards the car. He shut the door behind him to a round of laughter as he watched her take off as quickly as she could go in her heels.

As he started the car up, he couldn't suppress his smile. "Well then, that was fun."

She let out a giggle. "Do you think he'll recuperate?"

"I think he'll be fine. I have a feeling him and Flora have no secrets. I think he knows exactly what we're doing tonight, or not doing." He smiled when she dropped her head into her hand.

"Oh my God! Don't remind me! This family! Can you believe them?" She smiled at him.

"I can't sometimes, no, but they are one of a kind, and I love that about them." He reached over to grab her hand in his without taking his eyes off the road.

She did a sharp intake of breath when he said he loved them. She knew it was more of a saying, just words, but if he loved them then-

"What are you overthinking about?"

She spun to him with a guilty expression. "Nothing, I just, I am so weirded out by how easily this all just slipped back into how it used to be. Sometimes when I visited them, we'd get back in a groove for a few days, but I would always close myself off before I left. It's just- I don't think you'll let me do that anymore, and I kind of really appreciate it." She squeezed his hand.

He brought their clasped hands to his mouth and kissed the back of hers. "You deserve to have people in your life that love you as much as they do," he said firmly. "Plus I'm going to be honest, I think I really might be starting to understand Git as a human being, and I'm incredibly intrigued."

They both laughed. "I'm not sure what to make of that."

"Me either."

"Are you excited for the play?" she asked.

"I'm sure it'll be fun." He shrugged.

"Do you like plays?"

"I do actually. When I was younger, I went with my family a lot to shows. We only lived over the bridge in the Bronx. We made it to Broadway sometimes, and there are a ton of small productions all over the city."

She smiled, learning something new about him. "That's really awesome. I didn't know that."

"Yeah, well, I guess we don't know everything about each other, at least not all the little facts, but I think we know the big things. It'll still be fun when we do surprise each other though."

"Yes it will. So my first surprise is going to start now. Turn left up here." She pointed.

"Chica, isn't the theater in the direction we went the other day?" he questioned but followed her instruction anyway.

"It is, but we're not going. Don't get me wrong. I love a good show, but it's playing all month. We can catch it another day. I have a feeling that, if we're not back at the house by six thirty in the morning, Dad will come find us. That gives us about ten hours, and I'm also going to need sleep in order to shop with Mom tomorrow, so maybe we just go right to Santi's and not waste any time." She smiled saucily at him and then pointed again when they came to another intersection.

"I am not going to complain, or argue. So you had us dress up just to trick them, you little weasel." He reached over to pinch her upper thigh playfully.

"Yes, but also because I really like you in a suit. You're so pretty."

He laughed. "Thank you so much, and I'm not going to complain about that dress, or about getting to take it off of you." He raised his eyebrows at her.

She simpered at him. "Don't do that. My self control is not that good."

He smirked. "Oh no, we are not doing anything we're not ready for. However, we are ready for some things, and I'm pretty sure I get to take your dress off."

She giggled. "Yeah, that makes sense after all. Wait, does that mean I get to take the suit off of you?"

"You can do whatever you want to me," he said sincerely.

"Ooh, that sounds intriguing." She pointed again when they got to the next intersection. "It's the last building on the left."

He pulled into the parking lot and then took the spot marked sixty-nine. "Very interesting apartment number." Luke laughed.

Penelope rolled her eyes. "I think the last time I heard that joke was in high school."

"Really because I heard it this morning when Git said it." He got out of the car and grabbed the bag they'd both put a few things in.

They walked up the outdoor staircase. "Then I understand the immaturity behind it," she teased.

She stopped in front of the door and waited for Luke to open it. "You know, it's really odd to me to think they don't actually all live together all the time." He pushed the door open and watched as Penelope flipped on the light. They were blinded by the bright string of colorful lights that came on. "Never mind, this makes perfect sense." Luke laughed.

Penelope walked in. The apartment was bare, sort of like Luke's, but the things that were there were very much as if Spring Break threw up on the walls. "He doesn't have plates, just an immense amount of plastic cups, enough for me to think we should invest in the disposable cutlery industry." She nosed around the apartment, shuffling things about and looking in every drawer or closet she found.

"Are you snooping?"

She squinted. "Uh yeah, of course," she said as if it were a given.

"That makes sense actually. You know what? At least it's clean. To be honest, as a bachelor, you either have nothing in your home or you have a shit storm."

"True, Santiago is actually not that bad. He's sort of like you in that way. He just doesn't know what he should do. He needs someone to make it all better, but he's not hopeless," she said casually as she opened the closet in the small hallway, sniffing the towels there. "Mom washed these," she said as she shut the door.

"So I'm not hopeless? Good to know."

She smiled. "You're fine, but you just don't know what to add."

"So are you going to be the someone who makes it all better?" He sauntered towards her slowly.

She waited for him to wrap his arms around her middle before answering. "If you play your cards right, I might agree to help you." They both leaned in to kiss each other at the same time.

Luke pinned her against the wall in the corridor as he felt her hands wander down his chest and under his jacket. "Holy shit, you smell good," he murmured in between kisses.

"Ditto," she answered back as she inhaled the cologne he had put on.

"I'm assuming one of these two doors is the bedroom." He tipped his head indicating the entryways behind her.

She pointed to the door that had a sign on it. "Santi said he had a sign-up sheet on his door for when he had parties. He's a little full of himself."

Luke chuckled and grabbed her hand, opening the door she indicated and flipping on the light. Only a small lamp sitting on the floor in the corner came on. "This also makes perfect sense."

There were only a few pieces of workout equipment pushed to the side of the room, a closet full of clothes, and an immaculate bed in the middle of the room. "If he was going to spend any money, this is the room he would do it in." She agreed.

His eyes darkened as he leered at her. "I'm not mad about it."

He picked her up, and she squealed as she held onto him around his neck. "Luke, oh my God!"

"Yes, please scream that tonight." He tossed her on the bed and then leaned over her to kiss her. She started pushing the jacket off of his shoulder, and he let it drop down his arms. He wasted no time and ran his hand up her leg, under her dress grazing the skin of her inner thigh and to her middle. "No panties?" he asked with heavy eyelids as he leaned into her face.

"Who needs them?" she answered back breathlessly.

He growled and then let his fingers find her entrance and pushed into her immediately. She arched off the bed as he did so. "You're so wet. This is going to be even harder than I thought, and I already thought it would be pretty difficult." He moved his fingers in and out of her, listening to the suction from the movement and growling again.

"I'm pretty sure I didn't think this through," she said as she leaned up to capture his lips.

"We need to establish the boundaries. We probably should've done that already," he said with force since he was trying to keep himself in check.

"You mean when you weren't knuckles deep inside of me?" she breathlessly inquired.

"Penelope," he growled in warning.

"Okay, okay. I would say we could anything besides the actual act and oral, but I seemed to have shown my hand with that one already."

"You don't have to again. We can take a step back, nothing you don't want to do. We did that before we even knew what _we_ were doing. I don't think I'm entitled to anything." He spoke seriously as he slowly tortured her by dragging his fingers in and out.

"But then I don't get any," she said as teasingly as she could, while digging her nails into his bicep.

"I can still do it if you'd like. I'm not opposed, but only if you're okay with it."

"Ugh God! Remind me again why we're waiting."

"Because we're going to do this right," he said comfortingly.

She closed her eyes and bit her lip. "Okay, I think the rules are just that we don't actually have intercourse, but I suppose almost everything else is fair game, except maybe I might not be able to…" She trailed off.

"I already told you that was fine. Believe me, I won't forget what it felt like. I'm sure I could live on the memory of your mouth on me for years if I needed to." He sped up his fingers again.

She moaned. "Oh God, no! It won't be years. Don't worry." She felt him chuckle.

"Okay, well until then…" He pushed her back further onto the bed so he could have more room. He lifted her dress and smirked when she elevated her hips to assist him.

He latched onto her immediately, and he felt her hand come to his hair to hold him exactly where he was. "Oh fuck!" she said as she brought her other arm to her mouth and held her forearm across her lips.

He smirked and glanced to her face, as he pulled her legs further apart, opening her wide. "You're flexible. That's a very good thing, Penelope," he said as he dove back down to continue lapping at his treat.

"Hmm mmm, _whatever you say_."

He brought his fingers back down as he loomed over her again. "Penelope, look at me." He continued his movements with his fingers, as he waited for her glazed over eyes to focus on him. "Penelope, do you mean that?" he asked cautiously.

"What do you mean?" She tried to focus on him, but she could still feel him dipping into her, and she could still feel his lips and tongue on her even though they were no longer there. She understood what he meant earlier, she couldn't forget what it felt like to have him there even if she wanted to.

"I just want to know if you would really do whatever I say? If you would like that?" He was going to ease into this. He was pretty sure she was into this. She was at least mildly so. He knew from what happened in the car, and, if that's as far as she could go then, so be it. He didn't _need_ it, but he might as well find out if she wanted to give it to him anyway.

"I, uh, no fair if you're asking me while you're…" She tried to gesture towards his hand, but it was feeble at best.

"Okay." He kept his fingers inside of her but stilled his movements. He heard her whimper, "Now look at me. I'm asking if you would like it if I was in charge. If that's something you would like, there's no wrong answer."

"What does that- what does that mean?" she asked innocently, making him have to close his eyes and take a deep breath before looking back at her.

"It means that when we are in the bedroom or anywhere else for that matter, when I want something, you do it." He watched her eyes flash in concern, "Not yet, well, what I mean is not anything we aren't doing yet. But when we get there, yes, that too."

"So I have no say?" she asked genuinely.

"You have a say, and you can ask for things, and I get to choose if I give them to you."

"But I don't get a choice?"

"Ultimately, yes, you do. Nothing we ever do won't be consensual, but my point is that I want to train you to want to give me what I want and with that training means that that's what you want too."

She felt her chest shake as she took in a deep breath. She was more intrigued than she ever thought she would be, but apprehensive at best because she still wanted to be pleased physically, not just satisfied with a job well done. "But does that mean that I don't get anything?"

"The exact opposite in fact." He slowly started moving his fingers again. "My goal would be to keep you so satisfied that you could do nothing but be addicted to me. You'd take pleasure in satisfying me because you'd always want me."

She felt herself become breathless again, but she wasn't sure if it was because of the friction or his words. "So what exactly is that called, then?"

He felt her get wetter as he spoke. He at least knew she was curious. "I think what most people say is 'submissive,' but, before you start to think that I am asking for something too far out there, I'm not. I don't get off on torture. Essentially we'd establish what both of us like and are comfortable with, and, once we do, we'll operate within those boundaries, but it will be on my terms or rather it will be at my whim."

"So is that like, forever?"

"It doesn't have to be. If it ever became unsatisfying, we'd discuss it, but the whole point is that it won't, and that you'll crave it just as much as I crave you."

She let her eyes shyly roam down his body. "So, none of the weird painful stuff, like, the stuff I'd associate with a dominatrix costume?"

"No, not really, you could dress up occasionally, but that's not really what I want. It's more like, we don't need a lot of props. We only need us, but what we do will be under my control, and we'll get rough, and you'll submit. Therefore I _will_ be dominant, but like I said, within a parameter. In fact, that's part of it. You'll have structure, and you'll crave it because I give it to you."

Her eyes were curious, and she was definitely needing more information. "So like how you, uh…uh in the car..."

"Yes, like that. If I want you to go down on me, you'll do it when and where I want you to, and how I want you to. You were magnificent in the car. You did exactly what I would've asked. You pleasured me, and you were pleased by doing so. More than that, you let me take control, and you wanted me to. I held your head down, and I pushed into your mouth. I didn't become too forceful yet. I want to make sure you trust me, and I want to know your limit, which we'll establish, but, let's say I wanted you to lick my fingers right now, I'd put them to your lips and you'd do it." His eyes asked the question.

She bit her lip and then nodded. He brought his fingers to her mouth and waited for her to open, and then he gently pushed his finger into her mouth while she closed her lips around them as she cleaned herself off of him. "That's not so…"

"No, it's not so bad, and it never will be, but think about it. Were you turned on by that?"

She nodded shyly. "Yes."

"Right, because you like it, and because you taste good, but why else did you like it? Did you like that you were giving me something I wanted? Did it make it more enjoyable, simply because you saw me get more turned on?"

"Yes, it did."

"Exactly, and that's what it is in a nutshell. I'll go down on you, I'll fuck you and make you come as much as I want, which is exactly what you'll want. You'll want to please me, and it will be my job to please you."

"That doesn't sound so different than-"

"But it is because ultimately I'll be in charge. If I wanted to push into your mouth harder, you'd let me. If I wanted you on your knees, you'd do it. If I wanted to come on your breasts, you'd let me, and I would control how and when and you'd take what I gave you."

"But what if I don't like it?"

"That's what I'm saying, we'll figure out ahead of time what will be consensual without actually talking explicitly about consent every single time. It will be a given. If something is really wrong one day, and either of us genuinely can't do something, we can have, not a safe word, exactly, but a veto of some kind, but generally, it's not used."

She gripped the sheet in her hand as she felt him rub his thumb over her clit. "So it's just that I don't have to be the one who decides on anything? It's not my job to think about it?"

"Exactly, in this way and only in this way, I decide for the both of us."

"I can do that," she said quietly.

"Do you want to do that?"

"Yeah." She bit her lip.

He smirked. "Good, we'll have to learn as we go, but there is one thing I should tell you now."

She nodded. "Okay."

"You'll refer to me in the way I want you to - maybe sir, maybe by my name, another common one is Daddy." He watched as she her eyes turned to distaste.

"I'm going to be honest, I never understood that."

"I understand, but see it's not about it that way. It has nothing to do with parents or anything of that nature. It's just a name that shows you're submissive to me. That you want to be. But it's one of many options. Only do it when or if you feel comfortable."

She shrugged. "Hmm, maybe."

"You don't have to decide right now, and we can test it out if you want, but that's not exactly what I needed to tell you. It goes with that, but I need you to hear me out." He watched her nod. "Okay well, this is sort of a way of life in a sense. It can go by other names, but the point is it's something that represents how we choose to interact with one another. The common name used with Daddy is," he paused and moved his fingers deeper inside of her, then brought them out and started rubbing circles on her clit, "Baby Girl."

Her eyes flashed. "Well, I uh-"

"I know, you have a history with that, and to be honest I don't enjoy it, but I understand it. Normally I'd ask you to stop it, but I don't think that would go well, out of the blue, especially with profilers, so I won't ask that, but I might get to punish you every time I hear it."

"I thought you said no torture."

"Punishment isn't torture. You'll enjoy the punishment."

"But if you called me Baby Girl…"

"Which is why I won't call you that, or maybe I can occasionally just for us, but there are plenty of other names too. But since Baby Girl is supposed to belong to me, whether I say it or not, you'll have to pay for it if I hear it."

He watched her contemplate everything he'd just said. As he did so, he increased his circles on her clit and brought his other hand down to enter her again. "Oh uh, uh, I- I-"

"You don't have to agree to everything now, but I want is to introduce you to a few things. We'll try them out, and I just want you to be aware of what I'm talking about so you know where I am going with it."

She nodded. "I can do that," she said breathlessly.

"Good, now I'm going to go down on you, and, when you come on my tongue, you can use any of the names I said or something else that shows you respect that I'm in charge. If you can't do that this time, then just call my name so that we both know who let you come."

"Hmm mmm." She gasped when his lips connected with her again. "C-ca-can I hold your head down?" He smirked against her clit before answering.

"You may." He started licking her up and down.

She felt the warmth of his words on her folds and then the sensation of his tongue traveling the length of her. She gripped his hair in both hands when he dipped his tongue inside of her and then immediately replaced it with his fingers as he started moving his tongue quickly back and forth against the sensitive flesh. He felt her legs shaking around him, and he used his free hand to push one of her legs wider as he sped up his actions.

"Oh my God, Luke! Oh, yes!" She screamed and then began moaning as she felt the climax hit her. She felt out of breath as she rode out the wave of pleasure. She closed her eyes. "Luke, oh my God!" she said again. She felt him still placing small kisses to her sex as she climbed down from her high.

He crawled up her body and placed a kiss to her lips before laying next to her. "Penelope, look at me."

Her eyes felt too heavy. She didn't have the energy to open them yet, but she figured she needed to obey him. She wasn't sure exactly how this submissive thing worked yet. She turned her head and opened her eyes slightly. "Yeah."

"That was good. You said my name the way I asked you to, and you asked me permission to do what you wanted. You won't always have to, but sometimes it will go better for you if you do."

She was spent, but she knew she was supposed to be paying attention to him right now. "Maybe I'm a quick learner."

"Good, I plan on making this a quick study." He started to run his hands up her torso to her breasts, and he put his palms over them. "Are you okay with doing more tonight?"

"Yes, I planned on it, or did you not hear my explanation about the play."

He chuckled, "Oh no, I did, Chica, but I am asking so I know where your limits are. I will be asking how you feel about things as we start, so I'll be able to know automatically later on."

"Okay, so what do we do now?"

"I'm glad you asked. I didn't have a plan for tonight because I knew we were going to have limits, but we can just do what comes naturally."

"And we won't do that normally?"

"We will when I want that."

"Okay," she simpered.

He growled. "So, I can get you naked, correct?"

"Yes."

He swiftly moved his body over hers. He pushed her to her side and unzipped the dress she was wearing. He let her fall to her back as he pulled it down her arms. He saw the bustier she was wearing. It was dark lace, but it was see through. He could see the smooth skin underneath and the nipples that were already hard. "Did you wear this for me?"

"Yes."

"Good girl. You're already catching on before you even knew."

"So I should dress up for you?"

"Sometimes, or you might buy the colors I want. Sometimes you'll go without when I ask you to. And sometimes it will be about what you wear on the outside. You already do well with your dresses. I like them. You knew I liked them, and you continued to wear other ones I liked."

"Like how you said you like my hair up?"

"Exactly like that. But you like it up too, don't you?"

"I do."

"Is that partially because you like to know it pleases me?"

"It is."

"Okay." He ran his fingers over the swell of her breasts, and then down the fabric in the middle of her chest. "Now if you're okay with it, I want to undo these ribbons right here in the middle, and I want you to use your breasts to surround me."

"I can do that." She reached to his chest about to undo buttons.

He grabbed her wrist. "I know you want to take the rest of the suit off of me, and I'll let you, but not yet." He watched her put her hands back to her sides, and he undid the strings in the middle of the bustier only, still leaving the rest of it in place. He unzipped his pants and pushed his underwear down just enough to let himself free. He straddled her torso and put himself in underneath the loosened fabric, "Now can you push yourself together so that I can fuck your…" He paused. "Penelope, I want to know if it will turn you off if I say tits. I never would say that word outside of the bedroom or to refer to any woman's body even in jest, but in the bedroom I like to say it."

"I understand, I get it here, in context, but I don't appreciate it as a reference to women generally."

"We agree, so hold your tits together so I can fuck them." He watched her comply with his request, and he started moving in between the tunnel she'd created for him, the smooth skin making it easy for him to glide in and out. The fabric on top of him created a different feeling on top. "God, do you know how many times I've thought about this? Do you know how much I've wanted to know what this feels like?"

"How much?"

"More times than I can count and more than any man should have a right to crave a woman. Seriously, Penelope, I've wanted this so badly. I love your tits. I have imagined them for so long, and, when you pulled the triangles of your dress down the other day, you have no idea how much I needed to see them."

"You'll get used to them."

"No, Penelope, that's not how I operate. I'll only start to crave it more, and I won't take no for an answer. That's what will happen. I didn't try to get a look down your dress everyday at work just to get used to them one day."

"Oh." She giggled.

"Yeah, oh. Move your hands to the headboard." He commanded, and then he grabbed her breasts roughly in his hands as he glided in and out quicker. "Hold on."

She pushed against the wood of the headboard to keep herself in place as she felt him grip her breasts harshly, feeling him squeeze them harder than she'd ever felt and for some reason enjoying it more than she thought she would. She observed him as he pushed so quickly in between them and watched his lust filled face as he paid rapt attention to the show he was creating. "This is much more fun to watch than a play."

He smirked. "Yes, it is. I'm going to come on your chest and neck and all over this lovely fabric. Are you going to be okay with that?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Fuck!" He let himself go, groaning as he did so. He pulled himself out from under the fabric and proceeded to come over her chest, letting gravity help it run down to her neck. Then he pulled back letting some of it fall on the ribbons he'd undone and in between the two mounds. After he was spent, and his eyes refocused, he scanned her face. "You liked that, didn't you?"

"Yes." She lifted her shoulders, slightly embarrassed.

He chuckled. "I liked it too, and you're excellent. Your body is amazing, and you want to do this right, and, as soon as you called me sir, you had me at your command."

"I thought that was the opposite of what you wanted?" she asked genuinely.

"On the contrary, I might ask you to submit to me, but part of that means that I'm at your mercy. You're mine, and that makes it my duty to pleasure you. You belong to me, but I belong to you too which means that you're what I want, which means you're the only one that can give me what I need."

"Oh." Her eyes were shy, and she turned her lips in to try and hide her smile.

"You're allowed to like that. It's better if you do actually." He used his palms to support himself as he hovered over her. "I like everything about you. I always have."

"Yeah, me too," she returned.

He was grinning as he pushed off of her. "You couldn't have told everyone that before, woman?"

"You didn't say anything either," she countered.

"Fair enough. Are you feeling up for something else?"

"Yes, but I don't know what. I know there are a lot of things we can do, but I'm scared we'll want to cross the line."

"I won't let it happen because I know that that would upset you, and it would hinder us, and I don't want that. Part of me being dominant means that I have to take care of you, and, if I let you do something you didn't want to do, I would be failing already."

She smiled as she gazed at him. "I might be starting to see the value in this not having to be in charge thing."

He laughed. "There are benefits to both sides. If a person wants to participate, they can find someone to be the other half to what they want."

"Hmm mmm, well I think I'll have a good time learning about this, but in the meantime…"

"You can take my suit off, and then we can do something a little more tame, like make out on your brother's couch while pretending to be watching a movie."

"Works for me."


	26. Chapter 26

I am still here. I am just suffering heavily from mental illness at the moment. Mostly because the world sucks. Anyway, I might not be updating like I used to but I appreciate the support and reviews and messages. They are a highlight in an otherwise dark landscape.

* * *

Penelope walked through the door Luke was holding for her. She came around the corner and was expecting to be able to grab a water bottle and then sneak to her room and hide until lunch time. Instead she was greeted by loud hoots and hollers.

"Ow ow! You two look happy," Santi shouted at them from his place next to his mother where he was helping scramble eggs.

"Oh God!" Penelope stopped in her tracks and put her hand to her forehead. She leaned against the back of the couch, not willing to look up at the people she knew were staring at her. "Why are you people awake?"

"We knew you'd try to sneak in early, and we wanted to make sure to be up to embarrass you as much as possible," Juan said simply as he leaned back against the counter from the stool he was sitting on.

"Loyalty." Luke shook his head.

"Hey, man, they were going to do it with or without me," Juan informed him with a smile.

"Yeah, so that play lasted really late then, huh?" Marcos asked with a gleam in his eye as he helped butter the bread Flora had baked. "Did they recite the whole book or…"

"They didn't even go to the play. I'd bet my juevos rancheros on it, and you know how much I love my juevos." Git scratched the top of his head sleepily, his short hair slightly askew.

"Leave your sister alone," Flora swatted Santi with her oven mitt since he was the closest, hoping it would reverberate to the other three.

"Hey, Dad, aren't they going to get grounded or something?" Santi asked.

Arturo was reading a book. He had on reading glasses and had yet to look up at the two who had recently arrived. "I have nothing to say to anyone right now, gracias."

Juan laughed. "Oooh, you're in trouble," he melodically chanted.

"You people got up early for this?" Penelope had finally glanced up when she heard her father speak.

"Sort of, yeah. What else are we going to do, Penelope? We haven't been able to embarrass any of your boyfriends in the past few years, and, since you two are all gaga over each other and probably going to get married, we won't get another shot." Marcos walked the pan of bread to the main table.

"Oh my God!" Penelope uttered exasperatedly.

"Ay, calm down. Don't scare him away," Git gestured to Luke who was quietly chuckling.

"You people are the scary ones!" she countered.

Git used both hands to wave dismissively to her. "So, Dad, is Luke still your favorite?" he asked cheekily.

Arturo didn't glance up from his book. "Si, but the bar was set very low if we're being honest, mijo."

Git scrunched his face, as Santi took an exaggerated breath and put his hand to his chest. "But, Pop, we're all so beautiful though."

"Well, some of us are," Juan corrected as he tipped his head at Git, who was still obliviously staring at his sister and her boyfriend.

"Eres todo muy guapo." Flora grabbed Santi's chin and shook it as he rolled his eyes at the swift change in her behavior.

"Can we all just-" Penelope waved her hand in front of her.

"Yeah, you guys. Look, she's as dressed as she's been since he got here. Let's all take the time to remember, once they bang it out, they'll calm themselves when they're not in heat anymore." Marcos put his hand on his side, as he explained to the others.

"In heat? Are you serious? Dad!" Penelope requested aid.

"Let's not talk about anyone being in heat, especially not when I'm trying to think that they spent the night praying in church. You're not helpful, any of you, which is also why you are not my favorites." Arturo took a sip of his coffee, still never averting his eyes from the words in front of him.

"I hope you didn't expend all of your energy last night. You and I are moving the big corner unit and delivering it to the site early," Juan informed Luke.

"I think I'll be fine," Luke said to him.

"Okay, I'd offer you the shower first, but my guess is that the two of you took care of that at Santi's. The bathroom is pretty nice." Juan winked at Luke before he trotted off down the hallway to get ready himself.

"I am regretting making him my favorite," Luke joked.

Git gasped this time. "I am not your favorite? I don't-I don't understand," he said so sincerely.

Penelope laughed. "Tell him where that hurts, Git."

Git pointed his finger at his heart. "That hurts right here," he said sadly.

Everyone laughed, especially Luke. "I am very sorry, Guerillmo. I didn't mean it."

Git turned his nose up. "No, no. Don't try to win me back now. It's too late. This train left the station." He spun around on the stool, giving Luke and Penelope his broad back to stare at.

Luke turned amused eyes to Penelope. "I guess I'll go get ready for the day since I've caused such emotional torment out here."

Penelope nodded with a huge smile on her face and got up on her tiptoes to take a kiss from him, one she seemed to think she could deepen without comment from anyone, but of course she was wrong. "You two did that in church? I might stop being an atheist if that's what they're offering," Santi said as he leaned on the counter to watch them.

Penelope closed one eye in annoyance. "Oh my God!" She glared at Marcos when she heard him scream the words at the same time as her before turning back to Santi. "We're going to throw out your entire collection of shot glasses if you keep this up." Santi chuckled and put his hands up in surrender.

"I don't know how you could since you would obviously never be at your brother's unsupervised," Arturo said as he turned a page.

"Logistical nightmare," Luke agreed. He placed a kiss to Penelope's temple and retreated down the hall.

Penelope came to take a seat next to Git and laid her head on the counter. "What's the matter, Sis? The sermon go on too long?" he asked as he nudged her arm with his.

"Shut up, Git!"

"Yeah, don't you see? She donated her regular clothes to the church, which is why she's in yoga pants and Luke's hoodie," Marcos informed him.

"You're all terrible. I can't stand you." Penelope's voice was muffled as she spoke into the counter.

"I thought orgasms were supposed to make you less cranky," Juan said as he returned to the room in jeans and a work shirt.

Penelope sat straight up. "Jesus, can we not!?"

"See, she _was_ at church," Flora joked, making everyone laugh, including a reluctant Penelope and Arturo.

"Thanks, Mom," Penelope giggled.

"See, I'm on your side." She winked at her.

"I am going to get dressed, so please be gone before I get back," Penelope requested as she walked away.

….

"So, mija, tell me. How was your night?" Flora's beaming smile wasn't hidden by her wide brimmed hat as they strolled the outdoor shopping center.

Penelope felt herself turning red underneath her own large sunglasses. "It was- it was really nice."

"Hmm mmm, and you are still…"

"I took what we talked about to heart, Mom," she informed her.

"I am glad. Not that I think that Luke would be the type to - but it's just that I want to see you really fall in love." Flora brushed her hands over some scarves that she saw on a display nearby.

"Mom, we're here for a couple of weeks. I don't think we're going to fall so desperately into something before we - what I'm saying is I see that I need to have some emotion behind it as we discussed, but I'm not planning on waiting until I can't think about anything else." Penelope pointed at one of the scarves Flora was holding up in either hand.

"Oh, mija, you're already almost there," she said casually as she put the scarf around her own neck and checked herself in the mirror set up under the canopy covering the merchandise.

"Ma, he's been my boyfriend for a couple of days," she argued.

"Si, pero, he's been something else for a long time, mi linda. You already love him, and now it's growing," she corrected her daughter.

"Mom, that's not how it works."

Flora unwrapped the scarf from her neck and set it down, placing her hand over it so she could look at her daughter as she spoke. "Mija, I have been in love for two thirds of my life with the same wonderful man. He's my entire life, and I don't regret one second of it. Not everybody wants the same thing, but he is what I wanted, and I am lucky to have been able to keep it that way. Don't tell me I don't know how love works."

Penelope was subdued. "That's not what I mean, Ma. I'm just saying, it's tough to find something that lasts, and it's stupid to think I'm the exception to the rule of having to develop something and work hard for it. You and Dad are different." Penelope shrugged while letting her eyes wander over the various fabrics in front of her.

Flora shook her head. "Si, yo entiendo, pero, sometimes people are intended for different things. My cousin, Gabriella, she was intended to teach. She still loves being a professor, she makes art that explains the world's greatest mysteries, and it's what brings her joy. She has never wanted children, and she only takes _lovers_ , as she says. Never is she with anyone for a long time, and I am proud of her because she has always been true to herself, and she is so happy. She lives the perfect life for her, hita."

"Yes, Mom, I-"

"No, mija, you don't see what I'm saying. My point is that falling in love or getting married or having children, that is not the measure of success or happiness, not if that's not who you are, but, for me, it was. I don't think everyone needs to focus on love. In fact, some people probably should find another hobby altogether, but, you, mi nina, you are destined to love that man. I can feel it."

"Mom, you can't be serious? You think that's my purpose in life?" Penelope scoffed. She had never been that kind of girl, and she certainly wasn't planning on being that kind of woman.

Flora shook her head. "You have a lot to give the world, Penelope, and you already have. I know you've saved many lives, touched many people. You help people when they're in need. You have many gifts and accomplishments and purposes. I'm saying that one of your gifts will be this love you will have. For you, it will be something epic. Others won't get it, but that doesn't make you better or worse. It makes it wonderful that you get to be what you were always meant to be."

"It's not that serious, Mom."

"But it is, mija. It is. Look at me. I cook and clean for five boys almost constantly, but I am happy. I have friends who do that because they thought being a wife and mother was more important than being happy. It's not. I feel sorry for them, waiting on their husbands like they do. I think it's pathetic, yet I do the same thing. It's the intent; it's the reasoning. Your father would switch roles with me tomorrow if I asked him. He would give me the moon and stars if I told him I wanted them to light my room. Your brothers, I taught them well. They respect themselves and others, and they know right from wrong. They respect me as a person. They don't expect anything from me that I don't give freely. Why do I give it freely? Because it's what I want. I want to keep them all close, and I want to make your father happy because he makes me happy. This marriage and all five of my children were my happiness."

"I know that, Mom." Penelope's shoulders sagged as she looked at her apologetically. "I just don't think that's for me. I'm much more like cousin Gabriella."

"In some ways, yes. You don't want kids, si?"

Penelope shook her head. "I really don't."

"That's fine. You don't need them to live a fulfilling life. Kids only make your life more full if you want them. If you have them and you don't want them, they fill your life with question and doubt and maybe regret. It's the same for any decision anyone makes that isn't what's right for them. I'm not saying you are me or you are Gabby. I'm saying you have so much to give, and one of those things is now about Luke. I know he will be the center of so much of your life, and it's not pathetic because you will be the same for him. Part of who you will become will be him."

"That's not- I have married friends, mom, and most of them, that's not how their marriages work."

"Si, I know. Didn't you hear me? Everyone is meant for different things. You are meant for this, for him. It's what will make you feel complete again. No matter how hard we try, he's what will give you what you've always needed."

"I think that's a little presumptuous, Mom."

"No, it's not. I know exactly what the love I've been in for more than four decades looks like. I can identify it across an ocean. You're it for him, he was waiting for you, and you've been looking for him. Don't be afraid to get lost in him. You won't regret it."

"Just like that?"

"No time to waste when you've finally found what you've been looking for. Tell me, do you find yourself wanting things with him that you would never dream of with anyone else? To do things for him?" Flora rounded the table with a sly grin on her face.

Penelope's eyes flared. "Mom, I am not prepared to talk to you about- well if you want to talk about-"

Flora held up her hand. "All I'm saying is there is a reason why you feel differently about him, there is a reason why the universe keeps throwing you together, and there is a reason why both of you have many talents, but how neither of you have ever felt as deeply about them as you could. Neither of you is lost in another dream. You only see each other."

"My life can't revolve around him."

Flora laughed. "It can if you want it to, but what I mean is that your life will revolve around the both of you and what you have together, and that's an accomplishment, a great one, and don't let anyone tell you that it's not enough because it is for you. For you, it's everything you need." Flora watched Penelope's eyes as she contemplated and then as her smile grew and she averted her eyes studying the earrings in the bin in front of her. "Entiendes?"

Penelope looked up to her mother's face. "Si, entiendo."

Flora, nodded and picked up the scarf she had tried, as well as the earrings Penelope had been fingering, and laced her arm through hers as she led her to the vendor to pay. "You can't go to Santi's tonight, not so soon, and we are going to Isabelle's tomorrow, so not then either, but Saturday night… Let's get you some more dresses and maybe some other things with even less fabric to wear underneath them." Flora winked as Penelope's mouth dropped open.


	27. Chapter 27

I am still suffering from my depression and anxiety. It doesn't help that the world is essentially a steaming pile of garbage. I avoid most of the world right now since it just makes me want to cry. Anyway, I do appreciate all of you. I forgot it had been so long since i posted, but I got a lovely review in my email and it reminded me that I should post. Thanks to all of you who reach out. It's so kind of you. I truly appreciate it.

* * *

"So how was moving big wooden furniture and being all manly?" Penelope asked Luke as they sat together on the porch swing on the back deck of her parent's house.

"It was just fine. Juan told me I have insane thigh muscles, so that was a nice pick me up." Luke raised his eyes at her as he ran his hand over her thigh.

"My thighs are decidedly less muscular." She nodded at his hand.

"Mmmhmm, believe me, I know." His eyes darkened as he pushed the hem of her dress up to touch the thigh in question.

"Okay, I see."

"You better. You've seen your legs, right? I really like them. I really, really like them." He slowly rubbed circles on her inner thigh, gradually moving upwards.

"You are really excited about thick thighs," she teased.

"Oh, you have no idea, not yet anyway."

"I'm sure I'll see soon enough."

"Soon is never soon enough." He leaned in and kissed below her ear, and she ran a hand over his pants, feeling the bulge already beginning.

"Why aren't we going to Santi's apartment again? Please remind me," she murmured, already in a daze from the feel of him underneath her.

"I don't want to push my luck. We still need to spend time here with them. I also don't want to lose my title of favorite, and I have a feeling if your father sees us gone too often… Furthermore, we are also doing this for us. We don't need to tempt fate too often."

"Temptation seems to be everywhere already," she admitted.

"That it does." Their lips connected as she moved closer, throwing both legs over his lap, his hand still on the thigh he found so intriguing.

"Eww, Mom! They're doing it again!" Marcos shouted as he walked out of the back door and to one of the patio chairs nearby.

"Yeah, they're getting worse as they go along." Santi agreed. He pulled a large bench out from the corner, making it screech loudly.

Penelope's arms were still around Luke's neck, but she was watching her brothers with anger in her eyes. "Can we get a moment without commentary, please?"

"Why would we do that? This is a very interesting development indeed," Juan informed her. "We weren't expecting to see a real life novella during your vacation." He threw himself back on the bench Santi procured.

"Hey, has anyone seen my granola?" Git strolled out and settled himself in between Penelope and Luke on the smaller swing.

Penelope hastily moved her legs out of the way so he wouldn't sit on them. "Didn't you consume all of the food in the house earlier?"

"We had dinner over two hours ago, Naranja. I'm a man. I gotta eat," he replied.

"So, what were you two talking about?" Santi questioned.

"They forgot they can use their mouths to communicate verbally," Marcos said dryly.

"Is there a reason why you all are out here?" Penelope asked.

"You told us you were going to hang out with us. We're here to collect," Git informed her as he put his arm behind her. "Plus Dad told us to watch you two because him and Ma were going to-" Git whistled as he raised his eyebrows.

"Thanks for the update," Penelope mimicked Marcos' dry tone.

"I can't believe they still get it on as much as they do," Marcos remarked. "I don't think I've slept with the same person more than five times."

"We are all growing up. Maybe you'll find a special girl on one of your dating apps that you'll keep around for an entire month. She'll practically be an enigma." Juan laughed as he looked to Luke who was also chuckling.

"Like you're one to talk. You don't fare much better." Santi hit Juan's arm.

"I'm better than all of you. Besides, I'm the one that actually _wants_ to grow up," he countered.

"Actually, Git is the most experienced in that department, although that's hard for me to actually believe," Penelope joined in.

"Oh, yeah, that's true," Luke said to the man next to him. "I get it though. You are sort of a romantic."

Git turned to him. "Thank you, for seeing me for who I am. I am the best catch of all of us," he agreed as the rest of them laughed.

"I actually thought you were going to be married before these two were out of high school." Santi nodded in the direction of Juan and Marcos.

Git's jovial tone disappeared. "Yeah, well, me too." His eyes traveled to the ground.

The rest of them exchanged glances over his head. Luke decided to ask the question because he could see Git was actually hurt. He seemed to be chugging along in life but not really living yet. "Why haven't you moved on since then? You said you date, but nothing serious in fifteen years?"

Git gave him a half smile. "Hey, you're one to talk about being alone."

Luke put his hands up. "Point taken, but doesn't answer the question."

Git sighed. "Yeah, well," he shrugged. Luke watched the rest of the people, including Penelope sober immediately from any mirth they'd had. "It's just, my heart's still sort of broken. I know that makes no sense. I should've been over it. I've had about a decade and a half."

"You were with her for twelve years, right? Since you were?" Luke questioned.

"Fourteen, is when we started dating," Git replied. "Didn't really know anything else even when I got to my late twenties. It'd only ever been her." Git shrugged.

Luke glanced around to the others, but it was Juan who nodded and shrugged at the question in his eyes. Luke took the permission he was given and asked, "What happened?"

Git didn't move. He only pursed his lips. "I didn't get all the details. All I know is that she cheated. She tried to explain herself, but I didn't let her. In retrospect, I probably should've. Maybe I could've understood, but it seemed impossible at the time."

"And now? You think that you would still be together if you had just-"

Git cut Luke off. "I'm pretty sure we would be, yeah. She wanted to be. Ultimately I was the one that walked away, but I felt like she didn't give me a choice. But, there's always a choice."

"Have you spoken to her since?" Luke put a hand on Git's shoulder.

Git shrugged. "Sometimes, but it took a while. But every time she tried to talk about it or talk about us, I would walk away again. It just hurt too much. Still does."

"But you haven't moved on. Has she?"

Git sighed. "No, not really. Obviously we've both dated other people, but we keep that from each other. I'm sure she hears about it the same way I do, through friends when I go back and visit, but it's just information given in passing. She's never been in anything serious again."

"Would you listen to her now? I assume she gave up trying to get you to hear her out."

Git put his hand to his forehead. "I've thought about asking her a few times, but I lose my nerve. I wonder if it even matters. I always assumed the details would just hurt me more, and I wouldn't even be able to look at her, and I never wanted that either."

"When's the last time you saw her?"

"Six months ago, briefly, when we went back to Cali for a visit. We still talk a fair amount. She hasn't tried to explain again, but I remember the first few years when she was trying to. She told me if I knew what happened I would be really hurt, but in a different way than I think."

"And after all this time and the fact that you still love her as much as you do, it's not enough for you to stop wasting your time and just ask? You're not really happy, and you never will be unless you either get back what you once wanted or move past it."

Git turned to Luke. "I still have no idea what she means, but now I think it's a matter of me being terrified that I'll hate myself for wasting so much time not having been with her. That I could've forgiven her."

Luke gave him one of his signature all-knowing smiles. "So the solution is to waste even more time so you can really punish yourself good?"

Git laughed. "I'm the brawn, not the brains."

"Then why did I have to do the heavy-lifting today?" Luke asked.

"Punishment for feeling up our sister," Juan chimed in.

"Then what were you getting punished for?" Luke asked.

"Loyalty. They were going to make you do it on your own. You're welcome." Juan pointed a finger at him.

Luke's face turned into a huge beam as his eyebrows raised, and he put his tongue to his cheek. "Alright, I guess I'm not mad at you then."

"So are we renewing bets to see when we think Git will stop being a git and actually listen to Gina?" Marcos asked.

"I thought that bet was still happening?" Penelope asked confused.

"No, ours timed out about five years ago," Santi explained.

"Wow, it has been a long time. I genuinely thought you wouldn't last this long on your own," Penelope informed him.

"Gee thanks, Sis." Git held his hands out as he glanced to Luke in annoyance.

"I can have the board redone by the weekend so everyone can place their bets then," Marcos informed them all.

"Ugh, I'm out of here." Git pushed off both Luke's and Penelope's knees and disappeared inside.

"We can finish that board. He's going to cave." Penelope smiled and put her tongue to her teeth.

"Tomorrow?" Marcos asked excitedly.

"Saturday. Dad said it was an early day of work. We can finish it then," Penelope said assuredly.

Luke scooted close to her again, put his arm around her, and kissed her temple. "Where does Gina live?"

"She lives in the same house as when she was a kid. It's just her and her dad," Santi answered.

"Alright, I guess we can leave you two to make out a little, but don't do it too long. We need you at full tank tomorrow," Juan told the two of them.

Penelope watched as the three of them walked into the house. "So, want to?" Penelope raised her eyebrows at Luke.

"Yes, I love making out with you. Were you there last night?" He moved in to kiss her and pulled her legs back over his lap.

She kissed him and then pulled back. "I was. I won't forget it either."

He ran his hands down her legs, back up, and then into the top of her dress, dipping his hand down underneath the bra. "Already?" He was referring to her hardened nipples.

"It's basically the constant state they're in now when I'm with you," she admitted.

He growled at her. "Damn, don't tell me that, Penelope."

"I thought you'd be pleased by the information, Sir."

His eyes darkened. "You're trying to get punished, aren't you?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I might be wondering what that means. Besides, didn't you say we're supposed to be establishing our boundaries? I figured this is one way to learn."

He gave her a beaming smile. "I am more than happy to oblige, but you'll have to wait to get your punishment."

She pouted. "But I'm not patient. I want to know."

"And you will, but not tonight. I can't exactly take care of that here." He nodded to the window where they could hear the faint sounds of her rowdy brothers horsing around.

"Okay, but soon?"

"Yes." He watched her bite her lip. "You really are excited by this, aren't you?" he asked genuinely.

"Yes, Sir. I am."

He chuckled. "We are even more meant for each other than I thought, or I should say, with everything I learn, the proof is confounded."

"Okay." She kissed him again. "But since we can't do anything else, can I at least get my making out like teenagers on my parent's porch until Git comes back out here to throw me over his shoulder and strap on my chastity belt?"

"Yes, ma'am." They started kissing again, their tongues tasting each other as they held each other close.

Neither thought they had been out there for very long until they heard Marcos's voice. "I'm here to tell you to stop eating each other's faces, because Git went to sulk in his room." They heard the back door slam shut again.

"This is stupid." Penelope continued to kiss him.

"Maybe so," He placed another kiss to her lips. "But," he kissed the top of her chest. "We do need to go in. You've got a big weekend of learning."

"Okay, fine." She rolled her eyes. Walking towards the door, she felt a hard slap come to her butt, and she squealed and turned to him. "What was that?"

"Just checking how loud you're going to be, if I need to use it." He shrugged.

Her eyes narrowed. "I can't wait for this." She pushed the door open and walked through leaving him to adjust his pants.

"Oh, you're going to pay for that too."


	28. Chapter 28

I'm honestly just a mess. Everything is so weird so much of the time. I dont mean to take this long to post. I am so appreciative for your patience. I also am so appreciative when you all still review things even if it's been awhile, it does get me back in the groove of things and remind me to post.

My 30th birthday is Wednesday and I realized maybe I should make sure to thank you all for being on this journey with me the past year. Thanks.

* * *

"Morning, Sir," Penelope said to Luke as she walked out of her door. He was walking down the hall to get to the kitchen.

"Morning, Gorgeous." He leaned in to kiss her. She pushed him back against the wall.

"Seriously, you two are pushing it," Git told them as he came out of the bathroom. "Dad's going to make you sleep outside." He pushed past them.

Penelope pouted. "Why can't everyone just let us feel each other up whenever we want."

"We will get some alone time soon." He pushed a piece of hair behind her ear.

"But not tonight, since we've got to go get seats at four in the afternoon." She rolled her eyes.

"Your dad will stop early just to get the seats again, huh?" Luke wrapped his arms around Penelope's back.

"He'll get her anything she requests." She brought her arms around Luke's neck.

"Hmm, can't say I don't understand that." Luke leaned in and kissed just beneath her ear.

She gasped and then lightly bit his neck. She let a hand drop and was starting to trail it down his chest to his pants when a voice stopped her. "I'm genuinely not trying to ruin your good time, but we have to go. Morning traffic on the main highway out of town will get worse, so no time for a handy." Juan was pulling a shirt over his head.

Penelope shut her eyes in frustration. Luke nodded to Juan as he passed them. "I've got to go, Chica. I'll see you soon." He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Penelope pouted and went to plan her outfit for the night. She had no idea how she ever went days without seeing him. Now it hurt to go hours. "Only eight hours to go. Don't lose it yet."

….

"Wow, you were not kidding when you said they were in a routine, were you?" Luke murmured as he sat down with Penelope in the exact same chairs as they had the Friday before.

"What made you think I was joking?" She sat in the chair he held out for her. "It's Friday, Fiesta De La Raza.

"You're right. I know better by now." He leaned in to kiss her as she put her hand on his thigh while leaning into his chair.

"Ugh, Pop, make them stop please!" Marcos wailed as he took his seat across from the affectionate pair.

"They're so cute though," Arturo said reaching out and placing his hand on Penelope's face.

"I thought no one was allowed to touch any of us in front of you?" Juan queried.

"Not if you're going to be gross about it, but they are just so in love, and a few kisses isn't the end of the world." Arturo poured some of the concoction in his cup from the pitcher that Git had set down. "Although, I don't want to hear or see it go further than that." He gestured to them. Luke's arm around Penelope, her hand on his knee, and their kiss had been chaste.

"They don't keep it that innocent. Trust me," Santi said.

"Wait, is this just because you like Luke?" Juan asked. "Because it seems like the rules suddenly are a little more pliable."

"It doesn't hurt." Arturo shrugged. "Find someone as decent as him, and I might let you hold their hand without comment."

Juan nodded, "On it."

Luke laughed. "I've been read my rights multiple times since I've been here, sometimes from you all. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Uh, you are staying in our house, you felt up our sister downstairs, you kiss each other at the table, you keep her out all night, and Dad is still talking to you. Believe me, the rules are not as steadfast as they always have been," Git informed him.

"Scoot in closer. We don't want anyone to get in front of us." Flora wasn't giving any credence to the conversation taking place.

"Ma, the show is the exact same as last week. We are literally in the same exact spot," Marcos said exasperated.

"Hey, your mother told you to scoot in closer. It will make her feel better, and it causes you no harm. Do it," Arturo said as he winked at his wife to which she smiled unabashadley.

"You two are worse than them." Santi tipped his glass at Luke and Penelope.

"We've had more practice." Arturo waved him off.

Penelope and Luke laughed. This was becoming more and more entertaining. He turned to her as the others continued to talk. "Aren't you going to miss this?"

She leaned into him, their faces close as they spoke in low voices. "Yeah, maybe a little, but we will have another week or so, and then we travel with them. The feeling might not last."

"You could say the same about me."

"Never." She leaned in to kiss him again.

"You know, I didn't get to kiss you at the fountains last time we were here, and I regret it." He let his hand rub her shoulder.

"Mmm, we can remedy that tonight." She kissed his cheek. "Although you have about five hours to wait." She watched him as he gave her a low growl.

"What does it take to get higher on the list?"

"Wish I knew. Although, maybe leave early, and go to Santi's?" She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Penelope," he said in warning, "you know we are trying to pace ourselves."

"I know, but I don't have to like it." She pouted.

"It's okay. I plan on making it so worth your while when we get there."

She whined. "Don't you make this hard either."

"That's your job." He used his other hand to guide hers to his lap.

"What, how?" she asked.

"It doesn't take all that much, Penelope. You insist on wearing your hair up and your dresses low and short. I can get hard just thinking about you. You're wet right now. Don't tell me otherwise."

"I am," she confessed.

"Tomorrow," he growled.

"Tomorrow, what?"

"We're going to Santi's tomorrow night and staying most of the day on Sunday, no rushing back. They were planning on making it a short day anyway."

"How do you think we're going to get away?" She knew Flora already knew she was planning it, but she was interested to hear Luke's plan.

"We'll wait until after dinner, less chance of anyone trying to stop us."

She bit her bottom lip. "Okay, whatever you say, _Sir_. I think Mom might be taking Dad out tomorrow so we might not need to sneak as much as you think we do."

His eyes darkened. "Good girl."

"Hey, you two. Earth to sex addicts!" Juan snapped his fingers. "Did you hear me? We have to haul more heavy furniture tomorrow, so no wearing him out tonight, Penelope."

Penelope was staring at her brother now, but, when he went back to his conversation, she turned into Luke again. "He didn't say you couldn't wear me out." She winked at him.

"No, but I'm saying that." He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Remember how you took me in your mouth, no warning, no notice. You just decided that you wanted me to come, and it was yours to take. Well, I could ask Marcos to ride home with Santi, and I could pull over to the side of the road. I could lean my seat back and have you crawl over me and let you ride my face." He smirked as she shivered. "But remember how I said you were going to pay for what you did?"

She nodded. "Yes," she whispered.

"You're going to get in bed tonight, and you're going to make yourself come while you think about what I just told you. You're going to lick these two fingers right here." He gripped her index and middle finger. "And then you're going to rub your clit until you come, and the whole time you're going to wish it was me."

"But I can't."

"Oh, but you will. And while you do it, I'm going to be in the other room with my phone to my ear listening because you're going to call me so I can hear you."

Her eyes went wide. "But Luke-"

"No buts, Penelope. I told you what to do, and, if you don't want further punishment, then you better learn to take orders."

Penelope swallowed as she stared at his stern face. She knew she had probably flushed red as he explained his wishes and as she watched his face turn to desire. "Yes, Sir."

He smirked. "Good girl."

….

"Hey, did I say you could use the pink marker? Give it back." Penelope started slapping at Marcos' arms and reached up to get the bright writing utensil from his hands.

"Stop it! You're ruining it just because you want your name in pink. You lost that choice when you didn't go in order from lightest to darkest." Marcos put the marker down his shirt.

"Your chest is flat. It's going to fall out as soon as you stand up, dumbass."

"Not if I stay on the floor forever." He gestured to the various arts and crafts supplies spread out in front of them in the middle of the large den.

"You may never see the light of day again so you might be onto something," she growled.

"Yeah, yeah, we're almost done. Just don't ruin it now that we're at the end," he said agitated.

Penelope harshly grabbed the green marker he'd just picked up. "I get to color in the blocks."

"Whatever!" He grabbed the purple marker and continued drawing the columns he had begun.

They heard the loud bang of the basement door being thrown open, and then moments later they saw many pairs of legs descend the stairs until the four men appeared in front of them. "Hey, nice chart. Better than the last one." Juan leaned over the large project spread across the carpet.

"Marcos is finally old enough to color in between the lines." Penelope stuck her tongue out as she made fun of her youngest brother.

Santi laughed. "Then who messed up the names?"

"Not me!" Both voices protested at once. They gave each other angry looks, and then Marcos punched Penelope's arm, and she threw the green marker at his face.

"Hey, hey, hey. Settle down, kids. Both of you are equally shit at this." Git gestured to the mutli-colored board that seemingly had no rhyme or reason.

Penelope pouted. Luke strolled past the others and came up behind her as she sat cross-legged on the floor. He leaned over and planted a kiss on her head. "I think it's perfect," he told her.

"Thank you, Honey," she said to him and scowled at Git.

Santi rolled his eyes. "You can't trust the opinion of a man you're sleeping with."

Penelope's mouth fell open. "Excuse you! You're not allowed to comment."

"Hey, there's probably sperm all over my bed, so, if anyone gets to comment, it's me," he argued.

"Ugh! No there isn't!" she said disgusted, not at the thought of it, but that he thought he should say this to her.

"Right, they're probably using condoms. Nobody wants any little critters around here." Git threw himself back on the couch.

"Geez, Git! How much cologne did you put on? It's like a scent bomb exploded," Luke said to him as he felt the strong smell waft up after Git made waves in the air.

"Thank you," Juan said to Luke. "I keep telling him he's not supposed to use the whole damn bottle in a month."

"The ladies love it," Git protested.

"Oh well, I suppose that's why I don't understand." Juan crossed his arms.

"Hey, hey. What are we doing?" Santi held his arms out. "We're supposed to be telling Rubia she's still shit at making charts, even if her boyfriend says otherwise. We have to keep her grounded."

"She really did fuck it up. Look," Marcos pointed to the place where she tried to change the color of her name.

"Don't listen to them, Baby." Luke put his hands on her shoulders.

"He just wants to keep sleeping with you." Git was searching for the remote in the cushions.

"Bullshit, we haven't slept together, and I am the chart queen!" she declared.

Git paused his search. The four of them stared at their sister and her embarrassed boyfriend behind her. "So that betting pool is still open," Juan said after he processed the information.

"I'll add it to the chart." Marcos was already leaning over it to write.

Penelope slapped at his hand making the marker fly away. "Don't do that!"

"Uh uh, fair game, and we already told you we had a bet going. It's the whole reason the chart came up in the first place," Santi told her as if she was brand new.

"We're not going to tell you when we do do it." She squinted at him.

"Why haven't you done it, is my question. You were out of the house, home free. You could've fucked all night. Haven't you both been waiting to bang each other forever?" Git's face was turned down in disgust.

Penelope turned to him, flabbergasted again. "We started dating like five minutes ago."

"Not really, though." Juan shrugged when Luke gave him a disapproving glare. "Hey, these are just my observations."

Penelope sighed. "Maybe we don't want to do it at Santi's bachelor pad."

"Luke doesn't care where you do it. I guarantee you." Marcos had procured another marker and was writing on the board. "Do you Luke?"

Everyone looked at him except for Penelope who was still sitting in front of his legs. "I am not talking about this. It will only get me in trouble, one way or another."

"He's not wrong," Juan agreed.

"Can we just not, okay? We don't need to discuss my sex life, literally, every single day. Thank you." She was putting the markers back into the box.

"See, I told you she would make him wait." Git spoke to his brothers and then turned to Luke. "Just give her the ring now, man. It'll be easier."

"You're going to do it anyway, might as well. Hey, then you can fuck in the house," Juan said helpfully.

Luke glared at him, but addressed Penelope. "We are definitely not staying here tonight, if these assholes can't even appreciate your artistry."

"Damn right, we're not. Screw all of you!" She uncrossed her legs, and Luke helped her get up.

"Just screw Luke. The man's been waiting for you." Santi threw himself on the couch next to Git.

Penelope moved towards the stairs, pulling Luke along behind her. "Don't you all have things to build?"

"Dad let us off already since he's taking Mom out. Apparently she wanted a date after you got your," Git brought his hands up to make quotation marks, 'date.'"

"Good. Did they leave already?" she asked.

"Yes," Juan answered.

"Then you get to explain why you let me leave with my boyfriend and _two_ overnight bags. Goodnight," she chimed and went up the stairs.

* * *

Thanks to everyone who still reviews and favorites and follows things. I do check the notifications when I can work up the energy and of course that is always good to see. Thanks, all.


	29. Chapter 29

Those of you that have been through the trenches with me know that I have had some very low lows since I started writing fan fiction. I had another really bad one due to some not very nice people in my life. I am now on an upswing though. I am doing better. Finally.

I apprecite everyone who has reached out. And especially all the reviewers who are always so encouraging. I thank you for your patience, I truly do.

I am trying to get my website going and I have no clue what I am doing. (And I also need to scrounge my pennies for my next venture as well. I might self publish something.) Some of you have asked how best to keep in touch with me, here or Tumblr, I check, but infrequently. I check Twitter and _definitely_ Snapchat more. I will hopefully have my website running soon but the email on my website also goes to my direct inbox. Thank you for all the support. Feel free to catch me on other platforms especially when I am hard to reach here.

* * *

"Can you believe them?" Penelope tossed her bag on Santi's floor.

Luke followed behind her, throwing another bag down next to the one she abandoned. "Actually, yes. It doesn't surprise me one bit."

"We are not telling them when we do it." She walked into the kitchen as she tried to find decent kitchen utensils.

Luke laughed. "Whatever you want, whatever you say." He picked up the bag she dropped and brought it to the counter.

"Hey, I thought it was whatever you say," she simpered at him. His eyes darkened as he pinned her to the wall of the small kitchen.

"It is, where it counts," he answered her.

"I thought we were going to make dinner," she half heartedly protested as he leaned into her.

"You can be dinner if you want."

She groaned. "Why do you say things like that? I thought we were supposed to be pacing ourselves." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Believe me, Penelope, I am. I could've fucked you in front of your family on the table last Friday night. I'm pacing." He was kissing her neck and shoulder and face and mouth.

"Who knew you were such a romantic?" Penelope said sarcastically as her eyes closed feeling his lips on her.

He chuckled into her skin. "I can do romance if you want, but my definition of romance isn't flowers that die in a week and sappy cards. If you want that, I can give it to you, but it seems insincere and cliche." His mouth went back to creating sensations on her skin.

"Oh yeah, so what is romance to you? Sounds like you're trying to get out of work to me." She smiled and squealed when he bit into the curve of her shoulder.

"This, being here with you, taking time to be with each other, on purpose, but I know that sounds bland and like what everyone does in a relationship, but they don't. Not forever anyway, and I plan to. I'm not going to let you get bored or tired, and I won't be either because I'll always have work to do. That means more. That's more romantic than a dumb delivery from a florist."

"You're not wrong, but shouldn't I _know_ it's happening? Don't I get special events and stuff?"

"Of course. I didn't say no gifts. It's just ones, that are ordinary, they're not for you. You're not ordinary. Plus, there is more than just the long run. Romance for me is in how I treat and how I want you, how I show you how I feel. It's in action, real action. I hoped that me coming to see you here and staying with your family and trying to do what's best for you and us, I hope that means something."

"It does. I see that. I know that."

"It is sort of like your parents. Your Dad, he shows her everyday that he loves her. They kiss every morning before he leaves, and he thanks her for making his favorite food. She does things the way he likes just to put a smile on his face, and he makes sure to never take it for granted. He does whatever she wants even if it makes no sense. He sits at a cafe, for hours, saving chairs he cares nothing about, to listen to music he cares nothing about because that's what she wants, and at the end of it all it is actually what he wants because it's what makes her happy."

"They are pretty awesome."

"They are. But that's what I'm saying, Penelope. Their relationship, it's not a compromise. Do you know what I mean? I hear JJ say that a lot. That it's about compromise, and it's great that her and Will are happy, really, but, compromise isn't for me. I don't want you to feel like I'm doing you a favor every time you want something I don't. I want to end up wanting it because you do. That's how in sync I want to be. Like, your parents, he helps with things around the house, not because she makes him, but because he'd rather be next to her folding laundry than away from her doing anything else. They aren't working on things all the time. They just want each other, and they know it."

"They talk a lot. They are are always talking to each other like they are best friends. I love that about them."

"Exactly, and it's not because they have to set time aside to do so. I know that's what people say, that they consciously have to do that, and, like I said, it's admirable that people want to work on their relationships and keep them intact, but that's not what I want. I don't want to forget in the first place that you're my best friend."

"I'm your best friend?" Her beaming smile made him laugh.

"I thought that was clear."

"What about Phil?"

"Yeah, I have friends, best friends and all that, but you are my _best friend_. If we do this right, you will always know the most about me, more than anyone. We'll know each other inside and out, and we'll still want each other. I don't think love has to be all that complicated, Penelope, I think you can make a decision for it not to be."

"Derek always tells me that it's tough, no matter what."

"Maybe for him, and that's fine. It doesn't mean he's not doing what's right for him, but that's not what's right for us. Just look at your parents. Even when they were down and out about you, even when they were going through loss and turmoil, they never shut each other out. Their kids mean the world to them, but not more than they mean to each other, and that's okay. People don't do that. They start hurting each other because they can. Your parents are different. I want that."

"Plus they still have sex constantly. And they get excited about it."

"I definitely want that too."

"So is that why you like the, uh, the dominant thing?"

He glanced at the wall behind her. "I'm not sure how to answer that. In a way, yes. I want it to be my duty to make sure you're taken care of, and, for me to feel like I'm doing that, I need to have control. I also feel like it's a way to constantly show you that I want you and that you're mine. You'll never have to feel like I stopped trying or caring to keep you."

"What am I going to be doing for you?"

"Everything. Whatever it is, that you feel like I need from you. I know you'll give it to me."

"You know I don't cook, right? And I don't want kids, nor would I want to be some stay at home mom if I did get pregnant."

Luke shook his head. "That stuff doesn't matter. That's not who we are. You doing things for me doesn't mean you're a domestic goddess and have no other value. Why would you think that?"

"I don't know. That's not all of what my Mom does, but it was a lot of it."

"But that's what _she_ wanted, and your Dad gave it to her. If I expected something from you that you didn't want, then I'm not doing my job."

Penelope turned her head in contemplation. "I just don't understand what I would be giving you? Sex can't really be it. You can get that anywhere, and honestly I haven't even given it to you yet."

He let out a one syllable laugh. "Penelope, you're special to me. We are friends. We know each other. When you feel like this for someone… You're already a wonderful girlfriend. You've made me laugh and smile. You've made me happy, even before the official title. You don't need to serve me in some archaic capacity in order to please me. We might split the chores down the middle and take vacations, see things we want to see together. We can stay at our house and do nothing, whatever it is that makes us, us. That's what it is. I think that's where people go wrong. They are in relationships in order to get needs met that aren't important - child care, or a provider or homemaker. Whatever, but I don't want a business deal. I want to want you."

"That sounds so hard even though it should be simple."

"It's intricate maybe, but I can pay a baby sitter, I can hire a maid, but I can't find someone to love or to love me back unconditionally. Someone that wants to be by my side and whose side I won't leave. There is something more to that than just companionship. It's an inexplicable need to have a certain person with you forever and not feel like you need a break from them. I want to get the other half of me and not let it go. I hate when people say you need to be complete and full all on your own and love yourself so much first before you can love someone else. Why? I mean, I get it. Don't be broken and then start breaking other people. And you shouldn't chase after the wrong person because you need just anyone. You shouldn't be with someone just so you're not alone. It's more embarrassing to live a life you don't love than to be alone. But me, I function just fine alone, but I want to need somebody, and I have always felt that a piece of me was missing, and I always planned on finding the person who made it feel full."

Her eyes were watching him with wonder and apprehension. "But how do you- I mean, you can't know that, that's me. We aren't in- we're- we've-"

"Penelope, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just saying that what I want isn't all this surface crap people do. I want to feel everything, and I don't care if it takes time to get there, but, when I get there, I won't give it up. Not for anything."

"Okay." She smiled shyly. "What about the sub/dom thing, though? When it comes to sex, what if I don't like it? Does that mean we won't be compatible? If that's what you really want, and I don't fit, then, well, you'd never really be happy."

He shook his head. "That's incorrect. First of all, you don't hate it, and, even if it never goes beyond a certain point, that's fine. I don't need a certain kink to get me off, but I don't think we'd have as much chemistry as we do, if we weren't already attracted to what we have in common. I don't think I would want you like I do if you couldn't give what I need. That goes both ways."

"So if I really never want to do something that you really like, you can live with that?"

"Yes, I can. If it's something you were doing to please me and not yourself, then I wouldn't want it, by definition. That's not even an issue."

"I am still trying to wrap my mind around that."

"Look at your parents, again, seriously. Whatever they do, they don't feel used. They don't' feel like they are obligated. They want what the other wants. It can happen."

"Okay, I think I get it. Maybe." She giggled.

"Okay then. Should we make some dinner?"

She proceeded to turn around and dig in the bag he set on the counter. "I guess I could've told the boys that one of the bags was full of dinner supplies, but why, when they can get in trouble instead?"

He helped her chop veggies, and they both filled pots and pans as they made vegetarian enchiladas. As they were sitting down to eat she asked, "Are you seriously okay with a veggie only option?"

"Yes, Penelope. Meat is not necessary in every meal."

"That's not what Git says."

"Git would eat a seatbelt if he thought he could digest it properly."

"You're not wrong."

"I was meaning to ask you about that. Have you talked to Gina, or has anyone else?"

"You mean since it happened?"

"Yeah."

"I've emailed with her quite a bit. Sometimes texts. That's about it. Mostly generic, heard about this or that, a little gossip, have a good Christmas." Penelope shrugged.

"Do you think Git should be with her?"

"I can't see him being with anyone else."

"Has no one thought to get involved? I find that hard to believe with your family."

"At first, everyone tried to convince him to talk to her. I didn't obviously, not for a few years, but when I started coming around again, I obviously have told him he's an idiot."

"Did everyone give up?"

"I don't think it's that. I think it's the fact that Git was so hurt and seems like he still is. No one wants to push him, and then he pushes back, and it all goes to shit. He has to want to forgive her. We can't make him do that. If he got back with her and didn't forgive her, he'd resent everyone, and then he'd never rebound in love ever again."

Luke nodded. "Well, I think it would be a nice thing to invite her down. I think Git wants that too. He's just scared that, after all this time, he wants her, and what can he do if it doesn't work with her? But it seems neither have moved on after all this time."

Penelope had a gleam in her eye. "Why are you so invested?"

"Honestly, I just sort of feel really happy, and I don't see why other people shouldn't be too." He shyly smiled at her. "Plus, I think if I want to show you I care about you, I should care about the well-being of your family too. I care about what you care about, and you care how their lives go."

She smiled beatifically at him. "You are sort of amazing, Luke Alvez."

"You too, Penelope Garcia."

"Are you done?" She looked at her own plate. She ate a little more than half, which was enough to ensure she'd be fine until the morning.

"Yup," he said as he grabbed her chair and moved her with it.

She screamed in surprise. "What are you doing?"

He set the chair at an angle in front of the hallway mirror. "You're still okay with me going down on you?" he asked as he knelt in front of her, kissing up her leg.

"I'm sorry you want me to protest right now?"

"You can. I have plenty of other things in my arsenal, and we can always just make out like teengers in a parked car. No problems here."

"No, no, you can-" She waved a hand flippantly as she held onto the side of the chair with her other hand.

Luke pushed her short dress up the rest of the way. "Where did this come from?" He growled as he found the crotchless panties she had on.

"You wanted something else?" She was breathing rapidly.

"Nope, this is perfect. Where?"

"When I went out with Mom. She doesn't want us to have sex yet because she wants me to be - she wants me to feel, uh..." She found it hard to get the words out when he was nipping at her inner thighs. "She wants there to be a lot of emotion before that occurs, but she is still a huge fan of making sure we're both having a good time. I'm pretty sure she's manipulating me somehow, but I can't seem to care."

His silent laugh tickled her skin, making her free hand fly to his hair. "Uh uh, keep both hands on the side of the chair."

She gripped the sides tightly as he made his way up to tease kisses everywhere around where she needed him. "Luke," she whined.

"I want you to do something for me. I want you to watch yourself as I pleasure you." He watched her apprehensive gaze fall on him. "Trust me, Penelope, and, if you don't like it, then we can move." She nodded.

He picked up her leg and put it over his shoulder and then pushed her other wide, around the side of the chair so that she could see what he was doing. He dove in and started circling his tongue around her, licking and nipping. She could see his tongue moving across her and she could see the moisture on her folds whenever he would move. "You want me to watch my- or- or my face?"

"Watch me, here." He brought an index finger to run down her slit where he had just been. She could see his finger run down her sex, and the sight and the feel of it made her flush red. "But you'll also be able to see your face and how beautiful it is when you come. Don't look away." She nodded again and let him push her leg out some more. "I love that you're flexible." She squealed as he put a finger inside of her as he continued to kiss her clit. He introduced a second finger into her, moving them rapidly as his tongue moved back and forth quickly.

She was holding onto the chair as hard as she could. If she could feel anything besides the sensations he was causing, she was sure her hands would be in immense pain. Her attention was solely on his lust filled face as he licked at her and his strong arm flexing as he moved inside of her. "I-God-fuck-yes!" She didn't realize how erotic it was to watch him as he was performing this act on her, how much she loved to see his passionate face and how she didn't feel all that shy about her legs being wide open and seeing herself in full just as he would see. "God-Luke-I'm going to- I'm-" She felt the leg that was over his shoulder start to shake involuntarily, and he continued his assault as she screamed his name a few more times. She attempted to watch her face as he'd asked, and she had at first, but her eyes shut at some point when she was at her peak.

He placed a few more gentle kisses, as she quieted down. He looked up at her. "You did good, Baby. You did what I asked. Did you like it?"

"Yes, yes." Her eyes were glazed, but she was trying to focus on his smiling face.

"Good, look how wet you are." He pushed her leg wide again and moved his head fully out of the way so she could look at her slick folds between the strings of the lingerie. "You're amazing."

"No, you are," she breathed.

"Is there something else you want?" he questioned her as he kissed her thighs, then her knees.

"I don't - I'm not - Probably but I can't fathom what it could possibly be right now."

He chuckled and pulled away. "Okay, how about we go to the bedroom?" He held his hand out to her.

She put hers in his and lazily followed him into the room. He picked her up and set her on the bed. "Take off your dress."

She nodded and undid the zipper at the side and then slid the fabric down her body.

Luke growled at her when he saw the matching lingerie. The panties he had already seen were a light pink, and the bra was as well. It was semi-see-through. He could see the faint outline of her nipples, but there were two strings running up from the top to give it an extra effect of naughty. It matched the strings at her core. "You did good. You bought more like this?"

"Yes, sir."

"You wear something for me everyday, the rest of the time we're here, even if I don't see it."

"Yes, sir."

"You had nothing in particular in mind?" He divested himself of his shirt and pants and climbed in bed with only his boxers on.

"Can I think about it?"

"Of course, but, Penelope, you're not allowed to hold back. If you have something in mind, I require that you tell me, even if we decide against it."

She nodded. "I think I'm a little flustered. Just give me a few minutes."

He pulled her next to him and started kissing her nipples through her bra. "Penelope, what exactly did your mom say?"

"You really want to know that right now?" She gasped as he bit the fleshy top of her breast.

"Yes, I would." He pulled away to lay next to her, his arm possessively across her stomach.

"She just sort of gave me a, too late, but still relevant, sex talk. It's more like she just didn't want me to jump into sex without actually knowing how I feel. I think that's all I've ever done. I never actually let any emotion grow first. It's almost like I can care about somebody, and I can have sex with them, but I can't manage to do both at the same time."

"I understand that perfectly. It's all I've ever done." He watched her frightened eyes lock with his. "Until now."

She softened. "Why is this so different? Why are we- Why me?"

"Penelope, I think you know we had the affection a long time ago. This is not something I ever wanted to embark on lightly, but I've been hesitant to talk in real terms and not just hypotheticals."

"You've told me a lot."

"Yes, about what I want in general, what I've thought about, but I don't say I explicitly think about having those things with you because I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Her eyes were intrigued. Maybe she would've been scared just a couple weeks ago, but she wouldn't have been afraid of the heaviness of the emotion. She would've been frightened he didn't mean it, but she realized this week that he was not joking around about his emotions when it came to her. "I'm not. I won't be uncomfortable. I want you to say what you want to say."

"Okay, well, obviously when we were speaking earlier, I told you what I would hope we'd look like if we made it there, but I have every intention of making it there. I want to fall desperately in love with you and stay that way until I stop breathing. You, not just anyone. Not I want to _love_. I want to love _you_. I've wanted to love you for awhile,d but I didn't know how to approach this without risking so much and putting you in a precarious position."

"We are here now."

"We are. I will give you as much time as you need for whatever it is, but, if you want the truth, I already think about living together. I think about when we might even go further than that. I've contemplated it all. I want you. That's not going to change. There is a reason why no one else ever mattered. There is a reason I was waiting for you, and it's not so we can break up in a few months."

"I know. At least I think I know that. It's hard to wrap my mind around this whole thing. I know it didn't just start this week, but it's the first time I've let my emotions run out in the open like that without trying to reel them back in."

"Don't. Don't reel them back in. No hiding."

"No hiding," she agreed and then leaned into kiss him. "I don't think this is what I wanted earlier, but right now I would really just like for you to hold me. I want the skin to skin contact. I don't think we've just been able to lay with each other without worrying about getting up early."

"That's not a problem, but I'm going to want your bra off," he told her.

She nodded. "Take it off of me, sir."

He undid the clasp and threw her bra aside. Then he wrapped his arms around her to pull her into him, their faces just inches apart.

"Are you sure you don't need-"

"No, I don't. At least not right now. We can just _sleep_ together. I want that also."

She nodded. "I can't imagine not wanting this." She placed a kiss to his chest and then to his lips.

"I will always want this."


	30. Chapter 30

My life has had a lot of us and down lately. Mental illness is no joke. Depression is no joke and such an energy suck.

Thanks to all of you who are still so invested in this story. It means a lot. I also always appreciate reviews on other stories that have been finished. I still read them and get very excited that you all still love them. Thank you so much.

I know it took me a while to get back to some of you but i will eventually get your message on here and if anything I can give you my Snap because it's the only thing I check more frequently.

I appreciate all reviews, likes, comments, favs, emails, all the ways you show me your support _are_ appreciated. I always read them eventually and they do help with motivation so you are never falling on deaf ears. Thanks everyone.

* * *

"Oh look! The pájaros del amor decided to grace us with their presence." Santi was on the couch, his arm thrown behind his head. He hadn't looked behind him to see them for himself.

"I'm glad you two got here before dinner. I was going to come wrangle you up if you made me wait for my frijoles. I'd carry you both back here naked if I had to." Git was setting the table as he spoke.

"Did you two bang yet?" Marcos asked as he carried the plates to the table. Flora smacked the back of his head but said nothing. "Gee, Ma! We just want to know if anyone won the bet yet."

"Ah, c'mon. Leave them alone," Juan said as he watched the tv screen in front of him.

Arturo whirled towards him, but it was Santi that spoke. "Since when are you being so nice?"

"Is this because you're his favorite? Does he bribe you?" Git turned to Luke. "I want to be bribed."

"No. We just keep giving them a hard time, and it's difficult to be in a new relationship, especially one you want to keep." Juan kept his eyes trained on the screen, ignoring the gazes from everyone in the room.

"Who is he?" Marcos asked.

"Who?" Juan asked casually.

"The man you obviously want us to be nice to when you bring him here." Arturo gave him a Cheshire smile.

"Why can't I just be nice? Maybe, I just want Sis to be happy. We aren't making that easy." He attempted to cover his tracks.

"Mijo, even I don't believe that load of crap." Flora picked up her pot holders and opened the oven.

The whole room laughed. "So, do I get to torture you now?" Penelope asked amused.

"Hey, I was just defending you," Juan protested.

"Only now that you want something in return," she argued as she crossed her arms on her chest.

Juan silently pleaded at Luke, who took pity. "C'mon, Chica. Let's take the back up where we can get it."

Git pointed between the two men. "What was that? Oh my God! Are you in love with Luke? This is all going to get very interesting."

Juan threw the cushion from the couch at Git. "Fuck off, Guerillmo."

"Language!"

"Well, you two _have_ been sharing a room," Marcos said as he came to stand next to Git.

"Ay, still not in my house," Arturo said without looking at any of them.

"Come eat!" Flora shouted, putting a temporary pause on the conversations as they found seats around the table and filled their plates.

"So who is this man?" Arturo directed his question at Juan.

"Pa!" Juan dropped his fork to his plate.

"Is that what I looked like?" Penelope pointed at her brother that was embarrassed and frustrated.

"Yes, but funnier," Santi informed her.

"Can we meet him?" Flora asked.

Juan glanced at Luke again. "Uh, maybe. I actually have some things to figure out first."

Luke furrowed his brow. "Like what?"

"Just logistical stuff," Juan said as Luke nodded back at him. "So when are we flying out?"

"Oh yeah, are our tickets booked?" Git asked. "I just need to make sure I have trainers to cover."

"Yes, I put all of us on the same flight next Sunday," Penelope told them.

"So we've got another week?" Juan asked as he pulled out his phone.

"We need to get some vacation clothes," Flora said to Penelope.

"Ma, didn't you just buy her vacation clothes? And also, she lives there," Marcos argued.

Flora waved a hand at him. "No matter."

"Are we all just ignoring the fact that Juan isn't even paying attention to us anymore?" Penelope pointed at her brother who was smirking at his phone.

"He better be decent. We've seen that it's possible to find someone I don't hate." Arturo pointed his fork at Luke.

Juan said nothing as he continued to type on his phone. "I swear, if all of my baby siblings get married before me, I'm going to have a meltdown," Santi announced.

"You should probably try and learn their names when you date them then," Git addressed him.

"Who are you to talk?" Santi countered.

"I thought we established I was the only gentleman here," Git said as he brought his glass up to his mouth. "Besides there's no way anyone is dumb enough to marry Marcos."

"Whatever. Do we get vacation clothes?" Marcos asked Flora.

"Maybe. If you get done with your project this week, then I will take you, but not on Friday."

"So we better get done by Wednesday so we can shop on Thursday." Marcos nodded.

"So no more naked times for you two until we finish. No time to waste. Luke needs to be here. I want new clothes." Santi pointed down at the table with his fork.

"Why aren't you all buying your own clothes?" Arturo asked.

"My boss doesn't pay me enough," Santi answered.

"Maybe you should work harder," he countered.

"Seriously, is that what I looked like?" Penelope pointed at Juan again, who had his fork full of food suspended in midair as he read something off his phone. "And why isn't anyone trying to steal his phone?"

"I'm eating," Git answered.

"I might try later if I'm bored," Marcos told her.

Penelope shrugged. "Whatever. Do you need help with the dishes, Ma?"

"It's Marcos and Santi's turn," Flora informed her.

"Good. I'm going to go unpack." Penelope turned to Arturo. "I mean I am going to go re-organize my room because I love my new furniture," she amended, and Arturo nodded at her.

"Me too," Juan said absently as he wandered off down the hall.

Penelope glared at the rest of them incredulously before following him. Luke was trying not to laugh. When Santi and Marcos started cleaning up, and Flora and Arturo took off down the other hallway, Luke decided he was already too far from Penelope and went to check on her.

"Hey, Beautiful. What are you doing?" He stood in her doorway.

She was sitting on the floor, actually unpacking and simultaneously putting things in her vanity. "Nothing. Are we all heading downstairs for a movie?"

"Probably when they're done in there." He tipped his head in the direction of the kitchen.

"So Juan, eh? Do you think they'll leave us alone if he brings someone around?" she asked him.

Luke smirked. "Doubt it. They'll just hone their skills so they can spread the teasing evenly."

She smiled. "I wonder where he met the guy. I thought he said he wasn't dating anyone," Penelope said absently as she folded.

Luke pushed off the doorway. "The door stays open," he answered Penelope's unasked question when she raised her eyebrow. "Can I give you some juicy gossip, without you being upset I didn't tell you earlier?"

Penelope narrowed her eyes. "I want to say 'yes' so you'll tell me, but, no, because I won't understand why you didn't," she answered honestly.

Luke laughed. "Then I better not hold out any longer." He sat on the floor with his back against the wall a few feet from where she was. "I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure Juan was actually serious."

Penelope's arms came to rest on her lap as she was now paying full attention to him. "Continue."

"Juan made a comment the first night I was here that, if I had a gay brother, I should send him his way. Well, since I do…" Luke shrugged.

Penelope's mouth dropped open. "Why wouldn't you tell me you were setting my brother up? That type of thing is like my catnip," she questioned with a hint of hurt in her voice.

"I know. But at first, I hadn't even convinced you to give _me_ a chance so I didn't want you to think that I was pushing too far. Plus, I barely found any time to call Alex so I waited a couple days before I gave Juan his number."

Penelope was pouting but somehow also smiling. "Don't do that again. I don't like secrets between us. You said no secrets."

Luke nodded. "I know. I wasn't thinking about it, but you are absolutely right. I should've told you. I shouldn't be so focused on you that I put aside all the other things I was doing."

"Well, I don't mind all your attention being on me, but I do want to know what you do when you're not with me," she said with large innocent eyes.

Luke growled. "I know. And that's what I want too. I never want to be in the dark about what you are doing or feeling. Even when we're apart, if you want to walk me through every tea you make and every good morning you hand out, I'd listen with open ears. So I should give the same courtesy back. I promise not to do that again. I really would forget until Juan would make a comment, like tonight, but it was always with other people around so, by the time we were alone again, all I'd be thinking about is how I wanted to kiss you." He said it so honestly.

Penelope simpered. "Just don't let it happen again."

He growled again. "The only reason I'm not promising a punishment for your behavior right now is because I made a mistake, but watch yourself."

"I did not just hear that." Juan stopped mid stride in the doorway.

Penelope turned red immediately. "Oh my god! What do you want?"

"You're kinkier than I thought you were." Juan took a few steps into the room.

Penelope gritted her teeth. "What do you want?"

Juan turned and shut the door. Luke was about to protest, but Juan cut him off. "I'm in here. I'm pretty sure that negates the closed-door rule."

Luke shrugged. "So…"

Juan smiled. "So, uh, is it weird if your brother comes down here? Or is it less weird if maybe he comes to meet us in D.C.?" Juan was now cautious.

Luke laughed. "Really? You two are crazier than us." He tilted his chin at Penelope.

"Sort of. But let's just say, finding someone that's gay, good looking, comes with a recommendation, and wants to settle down is rare. It's less serious to meet or make a trip if there was a reason. Say, coming to see his big brother." Juan squinted one eye.

"So basically you're using me as an excuse to not make you look insane?"

Juan bobbed his head back and forth. "Sort of."

Luke laughed. "What do you think, Chica?"

"I would like to meet your brother, and I would like to meet Juan's- whatever he is, so I'm on board." She nodded. "Except, I still will be the only one who doesn't speak Spanish. Can't someone date somebody whiter than me?" She frowned.

Both men laughed. "You understand a fair amount," Luke said to her with a smirk.

Juan made a choking sound. "Eww, do you order her around in Spanish? Nevermind. Don't answer that."

Penelope rolled her eyes. She didn't have the energy to maim tonight. "No one ever brings anyone around more than once. I will say that makes me miss Gina. She spoke French so we could give you all a taste of your own medicine." She picked up the clothes she set in her lap and swiftly set them in the open drawer in front of her.

"Actually, that was my question. Why don't we invite Gina down? Git says he still sees her occasionally. They're cordial. Can't you invite her as a friend?" Luke addressed Penelope.

Penelope glanced at Juan who shrugged and sat on the edge of her bed. "Maybe. I mean, she'd come. She'd see him anytime, and it wouldn't be completely out of the realm of possibility that I'd want to see her, especially if I'm down here, but… what do you think, baby brother?" She crawled to come sit in between Luke's legs.

"I'd like to see it happen. I think they should be together, but, if not, then they should close the door. Neither can happen if they don't address any of it."

Luke wrapped his arms around Penelope who now had her back to his chest. "When is Alex thinking of coming down?"

Juan put his hand behind his neck and scanned the floor. "Uh, tomorrow."

Luke and Penelope let out huge laughs. "Oh my god! You've been talking to each other for five minutes," Penelope told her brother incredulously.

"I haven't slept for a few days. I'm running purely on adrenaline. We've been on video chat basically every minute I'm not working."

"Is that why you disappeared for hours the other day?" Luke asked amused.

Juan shrugged. "It's possible." He watched the two people laugh at him again. "If you think it's super crazy, then he'll wait until we go to D.C. and meet us there since it's less insane to fly there from New York."

Luke held up his hands. "No, man. You two do whatever you want. Just try to be a little cautious."

Juan nodded. "Understood, we're not claiming we're in love. We're just thinking we really want to find out if we could be one day."

Luke nodded. "So what do we tell the fam?"

Penelope leaned back into him and was running her hand over his knee. "We can say that your brother was coming to visit you. I don't think they'd question it."

"Are you kidding? They would drive to pick him up in New York. They want to know everything about the man you're going to marry," Juan remarked.

"We've been dating for a week!" Penelope protested.

Juan rolled his eyes and propped his fist on his thigh. "Oh please." Luke started laughing.

"Hey, hey, hey! What is with the closed door, and what is with all the laughing? This is not approved." Git pointed at the door he just stepped through.

"I was supervising." Juan gestured at the couple leaning against the wall.

"Alright, I guess we let that pass, but still what is so funny?" He came to sit on the bed by Juan.

The three previous occupants of the room exchanged glances. "Git, you know Gina and I were friends once. She was sort of like an older sister type. We were talking about her… Do you think she would come down here and hang out?" Penelope asked him sweetly.

Git sat back and cleared his throat before glancing between the three people. "Uh, yeah. She would. We've talked about it. She's been here before, when she came down here with me to visit Tio. Ya know, thought she might like to see how much the city's grown."

"When did you discuss this?" Juan asked curious.

"I don't know. We discuss a lot of things hypothetically but we never do any of it. The most we've carried out is when we all go to Cali, and I see her with everyone."

"Why not act on anything?" Luke quizzed.

"Same answer as before. Just don't know what I should do so I do nothing," he explained.

"If I invited her, it's not really pressure on you because you don't have to actually have to have the expectations placed on you that it becomes something. So that could be good. But I do want to make sure you're okay with it." Penelope tilted her head at him.

Git shrugged and slid his palms over each other slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine. We don't fight anymore. We just talk like friends. It'll be fine."

Penelope nodded. "I'm going to go call her now." She was about to stand up.

"My brother apparently made plans to come down here, so, if he gets here tomorrow, maybe it will be a nice cover, having so many people around," Luke said.

"Yeah, sure," Git replied. "When did your brother decide this?"

"I can honestly say I don't know," Luke answered.

Git shrugged. "I know you haven't told Mom and Dad yet because they're not out throwing a parade in honor of meeting someone in your family. So sounds good to me. They'll love the surprise when we tell them at breakfast."

"They really won't mind us just bringing two more people in without context?" Luke knew the answer, but he asked anyway.

Git stood up. "Gina practically used to live with us, and they'll be glad to see us talk." He nodded and was about to leave the room. "And they'll love to meet someone in the family Naranja will marry into," he said casually as he walked out the door.

Penelope's mouth dropped open. Juan was laughing. "Rubia, just give it up." He followed his brother, but stopped before he walked out. "I'll call Alex and tell him it's a go, but I think I'm supposed to tell you that you can't be in here alone."

Luke let Penelope go, and he got up himself. Juan nodded and left down the hall. Penelope and Luke stood in the communal hallway. "I'll call Gina and see if she can drop everything for a few days." Penelope ignored Luke's laughter at the previous comments.

He leaned into her. "I'm thinking these will be some very interesting days of vacation." He kissed her neck, and her hand flew up to hold him there.

"I'm guessing Juan's been sneaking out of the bedroom every night?"

Luke mumbled, but didn't stop his kisses. "I thought he was just reading in the living room so I could sleep."

"Want to sneak downstairs tonight?" she whispered as she let her lips lick underneath his ear.

He groaned and pushed her back against the wall. "Penelope, there are rules." He continued to kiss her shoulder.

"We got away on a technicality before. We can do it again."

"You're not supposed to tempt me when I can do nothing about it," he warned.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I think that's exactly what I'm supposed to do." She bit his chest lightly.

"That's it. You're getting a punishment. Be downstairs in an hour." He bit her neck and then pushed away from her, walking down the hall and closing the door behind him.

* * *

Thank you to my betas who I havent had to bug for a while. I appreciate any of you that have ever helped with any of my stories.


	31. Chapter 31

I appreciate all of you who are still excited for this story and those of you that go back and read my other stories. All of your comments and likes, and favs are always appreciated no matter how long it has been. They remind me you're all out there. (Someone commented on an old story and prompted me to get this up.) Life does get in the way of posting but I assure you I haven't completely forgotten. Thank you.

* * *

"So… Ma, Dad, we were wondering if you'd allow some guests to stay with us for a few days," Penelope mentioned casually as she took a seat at the breakfast table.

Flora paused as she was sitting down and gave her daughter a quizzical glare, while Arturo froze mid-bite. "And who are these people, Mija? Because you wouldn't be asking like that if we are supposed to be excited about it."

"Tell her no, Dad. We don't need any of her friends here taking up even more of her time," Marcos said through a full mouth.

Penelope ignored Marcos and replied to her father. "Actually I think you'll be happy to have these guests."

"Okay then, hita. Who are they?" Flora asked.

"We were all talking about Gina the other day, and I hadn't talked to her in a while, so I called her and asked if she'd like to come down and see me and everyone else as well."

Everyone in the room turned to Git. "I told her it was fine," he said to Santi who was closest to him.

Flora nodded. "She is welcome. That's not something to be hesitant about, mija. She practically used to live with us. It's been a while, pero…"

"Right, well, also, Luke's brother was free, and he could also visit for a few days, and we wondered if that would be something you would want-"

"Oh yes, tell him to come today. I like him already," Arturo said waving his fork in dismissal.

"Si, we can figure out the room arrangements. Gina can sleep with you, and we'll figure out the rest." Flora smiled at Luke.

"It's good you are on board because they'll both be here before dinner." Penelope rushed out and then took a sip of her juice.

Both Arturo and Flora paused mid-motion and glanced at each other before they both started chuckling. "So, this asking was just out of courtesy?" Arturo asked.

"My brother doesn't have to stay here, truly. We can-"

Flora cut Luke off. "No, no, that's silly. We have never minded a full house."

"Gina's flight gets in at three, and Alex's at four thirty. I can drive there and just wait with Gina for a while," Penelope said.

"I can drive you," Juan spoke for the first time that morning.

"We are so close to being done with the project. Luke can leave early to go with you. It's his brother," Arturo said.

"If you're done in enough time, maybe you both can come." Penelope shrugged at Juan. There wasn't really an appropriate excuse to give.

"We should probably try to get done early anyway. With more guests, we don't want to be all tied up in the shed all week. That's rude." Juan told the group.

Santi shrugged. "The man's got a point. We should get this done, so we have enough time to spend as a family before we go on vacation… as a family."

"I need to leave here by two thirty, so Gina won't have to wait long," Penelope said.

"We should really get going then, you guys. No time to waste." Juan put his dirty dish in the sink and then grabbed a water bottle from the fridge before walking out of the house.

Luke chuckled as he pushed away from the breakfast table. "Thank you for letting my brother stay here. I'm sure he appreciates it." He set his dish in the sink and also grabbed water.

Penelope got up and walked behind him towards the door so she could kiss him with at least a little bit of privacy around the entryway. She grabbed him by the shirt and stood on her tiptoes to deepen the kiss. Luke backed her against the wall as he put his hand on her butt.

"Eww, we can hear you even if you're around the corner," Marcos's voice rang out.

Penelope turned an angry eye in the direction of her brother, but Luke pinched her butt and then bit her neck before opening the door and following Juan.

Penelope returned to the table where everyone else was enjoying their breakfast at a regular pace since they didn't have Juan's motivation to get done quicker.

"Are they both staying until we leave for the states?" Git asked casually. He gave Penelope permission, but he didn't come back to ask her what Gina decided on, and he didn't text Gina himself either.

"They are. Alex can fly back with us. Catching a flight to New York from D.C. is like catching a bus around the corner." Penelope dug into her fruit salad. "Gina can get a flight to Cali from here easily."

Flora nodded. "You'll help me get the house ready."

"Yes, Mom." Penelope smiled.

"Alright, boys, I guess we should work harder than we've ever worked before." Arturo kissed Flora and deposited his plate in the sink. The other three followed him out to start the day.

….

"We're going to need to leave. It's almost ten to three. I text Gina that I'd be a little late, which is fine. She has to grab her bags and stretch from the plane ride, but I'm not leaving her there for an hour and a half by herself." Penelope told Luke as she watched him putting on a shirt from the doorway of Juan's bedroom.

"I know, mi amada, but the airport is a quick drive, and, like you said, she has to get off the plane, and find her way around. We don't need to be there when she lands. Give Juan a few more minutes." Luke was pulling his belt through the loops.

"Why are you so… invested?" She had a curious smile on her face.

Luke let his eyes drop to the bed. "I don't want to see my little brother make the same mistake I did, not jumping on something that could be good for him. I'm glad we know each other like we do. I can't imagine it any other way now, but I have a feeling, if I'd have asked you out at the beginning, we'd still have made it here." He shrugged not meeting her eyes.

She bit her lip. "He has twenty minutes, but then I'm going with or without either of you." She stuck her chin in the air.

Juan pushed Penelope out of the doorway. "I only need ten." He hastily grabbed some clothes and then pushed past her again to get to the shower.

Penelope gave the empty hallway a glare. "He's really pushing it."

Luke laughed. "We have ten minutes to makeout," he coaxed.

"When you put it that way." She brought her arms up around his neck as he pushed her back into the doorjamb.

Neither of them thought it had been anywhere near ten minutes when Juan's footsteps came barreling down the hallway. "I can see your hand in his pants. At least you're not following orders, I guess." The two of them had pushed away from each other when they heard his voice, and Juan squeezed in between them to get his shirt.

Penelope scolded, "Can you please not say things like that outloud?"

Juan was hastily grabbing a decent button up from the closet. "Fine, fine, but, if you don't want people to know, you two should be more careful what you say when you're not really alone." He motioned that he was ready.

Luke raised his eyes. "Noted." He grabbed Penelope's hand and led them down the hallway.

"We'll be back soon." Penelope waved at Flora.

"Okay, mis ninos. Be safe." She blew a kiss towards the three.

…..

"Which airline is Gina on?" Juan asked.

"Erm…" Penelope grabbed her phone. "Oh, she just texted me." Penelope pulled her other hand from Luke's so she could communicate back. "Let's sit here. I told her we're near the coffee place in baggage claim."

Luke and Penelope sat down on the bench together while Juan leaned against the wall next to them. "Do you think Git will finally get his head out of his ass?" Juan questioned.

"He seemed pretty excited to me, or, I should say, I saw his eyes dilate and his pulse speed up when he heard she was going to be here," Luke explained.

"Alex said you were annoying like that. Great, and you want me to keep your secrets." Juan rolled his eyes.

"I don't use those skills outside of work often, but I will admit I was curious this morning. I might've paid him some extra attention." Luke had his arm around Penelope and was slowly stroking her arm.

"I just hope they talk to each other. Even if she did something terrible, it's been so long, and it's clear their relationship is bigger than the incident." Penelope's lip was turned in contemplation.

"So true. I hope whatever she did wasn't too bad anyway, but c'mon. She's been holding her life up for fifteen years as a punishment. I think she's served her time," Juan agreed.

Penelope's face lit up. "There she is." She pointed to a pretty redhead with a small suitcase trailing behind her. Penelope walked quickly towards the woman who was giving her a huge smile. They both loudly greeted one another and hugged.

Luke stayed by Juan. "She is whiter than Penelope," he remarked dryly.

Juan laughed. "She can't even be in the sun for three minutes without turning into a tomato."

"You remember her well."

"She was in my life since I was five. I don't have many memories before her," Juan told him. He smiled as the two woman came closer to them.

"Juan!" Gina grabbed him and hugged him. "Why do you always look taller?"

"I swear I haven't grown since I ran into you last year." He kept his arm around her shoulder.

"I don't believe you." She pushed at his stomach.

Penelope smiled at her. "Gina, this is my boyfriend, Luke."

Gina released Juan and leaned in to hug Luke. "I'm a hugger, sorry."

Luke smirked at her as she pushed away. "Fine by me."

"Wow, he's really hot," Gina said to Penelope as if he couldn't hear her.

Penelope had wide eyes. "I know, right?"

Juan addressed Luke, "Don't feel too flattered. She also finds Git attractive." His arm was around her shoulder again.

Gina rolled her eyes. "He was even cuter before he started carbo loading."

"Baby brother, you basically started a relationship with a stranger because he resembled Luke, so maybe not so much with the talking." Penelope raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh yeah, I need the full explanation. I only heard the abridged version," Gina requested.

"We have less than an hour before he gets here, so should we get some coffee and catch you up?" Penelope gestured to the small shop.

Everyone agreed and made their way towards the small counter. They ordered tea and coffee. Gina and Juan shared a cookie while they explained what was happening with Alex and about Luke and Penelope.

"Wow, so this has been an eventful couple weeks for the Garcias' love lives, eh?" She licked the little bit of chocolate on her thumb.

"Maybe even more so with you here," Juan chimed.

Gina sighed. "He doesn't even want to hear- fifteen years later, and he doesn't - I doubt it."

"I know I wasn't there for that, but I don't think he's as closed off as he's been in the past. He seemed pretty open about having you visit," Luke informed casually.

Gina gave him a sad smile. "We're sort of friends over the past few years, but I don't think…" She shrugged.

"Actually, Luke might be right. Git seemed like he was a little bit more remorseful, or contemplative, like he's been recollecting lately." Juan also gave her a casual grin.

"He and I talked about our stuff. Maybe he sees that fences can be mended?" Penelope shared.

Gina nodded. "We'll see."

Juan felt his phone vibrate, and he pulled it out. "Uh, they just landed, so it'll probably be another thirty minutes to get his bag and go through customs." Juan put his phone away and then pulled it out, only to put it away again.

Luke laughed. "You're going to fidget for the whole half hour?"

Juan fixated on him. "Hey man, what was all that loyalty crap you were talking about?"

Luke gestured around to the airport they were all currently in. "I've done my fair share. You're the one who's been a little wishy washy with the support," he admonished.

"Okay, okay, I promise. I will be steadfast from here on out. Just please don't make this as bad for me as it was for you two," Juan bargained.

"What are you talking about? It's still bad, or were you not just betting on our relationship yesterday?" Penelope asked incredulously.

"No," Juan said adamantly. "We were betting on your sex life. It's a different thing."

Penelope scoffed. "You're deal was with Luke, and Luke alone. I reserve the right to be an asshole."

Juan narrowed his eyes. "The way I see it, I'm keeping some pretty juicy information to myself so…" He crossed his arms smugly and raised his eyebrow at Penelope who was staring daggers at him.

Gina glanced between the two and then to Luke who had his arm casually rubbing Penelope's shoulder while he suppressed a smirk. "Oh god, I don't wanna know. Not yet. I have to pee."

"I'll walk over there with you," Juan said and gave Penelope a snicker as he followed Gina.

Penelope took a deep breath. "I'm glad he's your favorite because right now I dislike him very much."

Luke hummed and then leaned in to kiss her. "He won't say anything. Besides, I don't give a damn who knows."

"Really? I thought you said this was just for us to have."

"It is, and nobody else will ever understand it or truly know what we do or what it means, but, if they all think you like me taking care of you, oh well. It's the truth, but it's hardly an indication of what's going on between us."

"Easy for you to say. No one pictures you serving me on your knees," she argued.

"Hmm, but I have." He leaned into her ear. "But Penelope, even if they thought that, so what. It's not embarrassing, as long as it's truly what you want. There's nothing wrong with it." He let his lips fall just below her ear, and she tilted her neck further into him, not able to handle the sensation. Then she captured his lips with hers and turned into him so his arms could come fully around her.

"Oh geez! I don't know who the problem is, the Alvez's or the Garcia's." Gina's voice infiltrated their haze of affection.

Penelope turned eyes towards her while trying to calm her arousal, wondering how on earth Luke got her to behave this way in a public airport without even having to coax her. "What's that now?" Penelope asked.

Gina returned to her seat. "Both of your brothers are making out over by the guidemap." She picked up her cup and brought the straw in between her lips.

Penelope was returning from the haze of lust, but Luke scoffed and shook his head. "At least they're being logical and cautious like I asked."

Both Gina and Penelope giggled. "Oh, Honey, did you really think either of them would?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't want either of them hurt just because they don't think it through," he said sincerely. Penelope smiled at him so genuinely, as he fixated on the walkway in the direction of his brother.

Gina was observing her. "Jesus, you two are worse than them. They're going to be making out, but you two are going to be making out, _and_ you're in love. I hope you're right about Git because I'm not going to be pleasant if I'm the only one not getting laid." She scrunched her face at them and then grabbed up her and Juan's cups to throw in the nearby garbage.

Penelope was holding her breath and biting her lip, not turning towards Luke. She didn't know if she was in love. Everyone kept joking about it, but it was too early for that. They were barely dating. It might have felt very serious, she might _want_ it to be the end game, but they still had to be logical and cautious too. They'd spoken seriously about things, but love had not been professed yet, and rightfully so.

Luke was sure he loved her, but he understood the caution, and he understood that his emotion could deepen. It already had in the past few days. He planned on only ever falling deeper in love with her, but she needed to get there on her own terms. He only hoped like hell that she would, and that she'd get there before their everyday hectic lives came barreling towards them and chased her away. He needed to do everything in his power these next couple of weeks to make sure her faith in him was solid enough to weather any storm.

"You weren't kidding. These two are sort of gross, huh?" Penelope turned toward the voice that sounded almost exactly like Luke, but, even if she wasn't sitting right next to him, she'd know it wasn't him.

"I told you," Juan said casually.

Both Luke and Penelope finally looked away from each other to see the three people staring at them from the opposite end of the table.

"Apparently, you two don't have a right to say anything." Luke snapped back quicker than her. He got up, and Alex met him halfway to give him a hug.

Penelope stood up and Luke's hand automatically reached back to take hers. "Penelope, this is my brother, Alex."

Alex reached forward to hug her. "It's actually really good to meet you. Luke talks about you every time he's home, which, granted, isn't often."

"I thought he only went home once last year," Penelope agreed.

"I think it was twice, but one was just a long weekend. I'm sure you didn't even know he was gone because we barely knew he was there." Alex narrowed his eyes and gave Luke an insincere smile.

"Sounds like Penelope, who can't manage to come down more than once every three years," Juan interjected.

"Oh my God! This again. Can we not, you guys?" Penelope rolled her eyes.

"Okay, okay, can we all just stop? I'd rather not be the referee in the fight between the couples that are five minutes old." Gina put on her sunglasses and started walking away, carrying just her small bag. "Juan, be careful with my bag," she called back.

Juan huffed. "All the memories of her bossing me around when I was in fifth grade just came barreling back."

"Remember in high school when she made you buy her tampons and told you not to be afraid of vaginas?" Penelope laughed.

"I'm not afraid of them, but I'm obviously not a fan of them either," Juan acknowledged as he made the other three people laugh.

Luke grabbed his and Penelope's empty drinks and disposed of them before grabbing Penelope's hand and strolling along with her.

"This is going to be very interesting." Penelope pointed with their clasped hands towards the other couple walking in front of them. Their shoulders were brushing, and they were smiling and flirting with each other.

"What are your parents going to say?" Luke questioned with a smile.

"Juan's plan was to pretend your brother just came for a visit, so I don't know how long we're going to have to wait for a comment."

Luke brought their clasped hands up to his lips and kissed the back of hers. "With the two of them like this, I don't think we're going to have to wait very long."


End file.
